Crescendo
by Fearless miko
Summary: When the pressure is on, Kagome is capable of remarkable things.  Rated M for violence, lemons and for general smut. Revision finally complete.
1. Breathe no more

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

_**Inspiration for this chapter: Evanescence Breathe No More**_

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A single dainty hand swiped across the surface of the foggy mirror, revealing in one solid streak the reflection of deep sapphire eyes encased in flawless, sun kissed skin and rosy cheeks framed by ebony, softly-curling hair that made a soft tapping sound as it dripped wetly onto the tile floor beneath her bare feet.

Her eyes focused on the white line marring her left cheek, the remaining scar from a wound she had suffered during a terrible battle months ago while traveling through Sengoku Jidai in search of Shikon shards.

She tore her gaze away in a huff of hurt and anger at the memory, proceeding to brush her teeth and hair before dressing quickly.

Her over-stuffed yellow pack had been left sitting in the door way to her room, the supplies having been readied the night before. She slung it up and over her shoulder in one practiced move before bounding down the steps and through the kitchen.

After seeing her family off, she headed to the well house on the other side of the shrine. Remembering her mother's wishes, she closed the doors behind her softly before coming to the edge of the old, wooden well and positioning herself above it to peer curiously at the inky depths.

She lingered there for a moment, poised and staring down in the abyss as she felt the magic begin to activate with her presence, the air already beginning to churn with an otherworldly blue light.

She was anxious to get back.

The past had begun to replace her home in her heart. That time, that place, those people began to replace her family, her friends, her life... until she wasn't sure anymore that she wanted to return to this place once Naraku was defeated and the jewel was complete.

With a final sigh, she shoved herself off the edge and plunged into the darkness, meeting a soft resistance as her body was enveloped by the magic. She sank slowly into sparkling blue light that swirled around her ethereally, holding her arms out for buoyancy as she drifted slowly back to the past.

_Inuyasha._ Her heart ached at the thought. Their last encounter with Naraku, the one that resulted with the scar across her cheek, had altered the very foundations of the nature of their relationship. Just the thought of seeing him again caused her dread she was ashamed to admit feeling.

They had acquired almost the entire jewel fragment, lacking only a few shards, when the hoards came from the sky one evening at dusk, attacking their small camp.

The battle went on throughout the night until they were all worn down from exhaustion when Naraku finally made his appearance. To their shock, they found Kikyo lying unconscious in his arms appearing battered and beaten.

He taunted Inuyasha with an evil smirk. Inuyasha lunged for him, leaving Kagome undefended. As soon as he reached him, Naraku dropped Kikyo carelessly and Inuyasha plunged to reach her before she could impact with the ground.

With Inuyasha out of his way, he was free to attack his real target. Kagome narrowly avoided the tentacle that was meant for her jewel shard and it grazed the side of her face instead, burning on contact with the deadly singe of miasma.

Miroku and Sango attacked as she regained her footing, severing the first tentacle just in time only for another to manage a blow to her stomach, sending her barreling through the air and into the forest. She landed on her back hard, cracking the trunk of a large tree and knocking the wind from her as one hand came up to clutch the jewel shard protectively.

As the tentacle prepared to attack again, Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated until her whole body glowed a bright pink and the appendage was purified when it got too close, followed by five more.

She stood and walked slowly back on the battlefield, her eyes landing on Inuyasha and Kikyo. She had regained consciousness and they were...kissing. Passionately.

After that, she had attacked Naraku herself, running into the fray followed by her concerned companions both in awe and fear of her seemingly foolish actions. Her anger spurred her on and she felt the temperature change in her palms as they began to heat, igniting with the pink flames of her spiritual power.

Naraku tried to look indifferent to her actions, smirking right up until he noticed the power she had built up but by that time, it was already too late. She locked her fingers around his neck with both hands, her tiny thumbs squeezing into his windpipe as hard as she could manage while she poured her power into him. She stared hard into his face without fear, baring her teeth as he met her gaze with hatred and disdain. The skin in her hands bubbled as it burned with her touch and she clawed at the flesh under her fingers, refusing to relent even when she felt his spikes slam into her sides, cracking her ribs and pulling the breath straight out of her body.

They plunged into the skin of her ribcage and waist in six different places, three on her left and right. She felt her feet leave the ground as they lifted her into the air, cracking bone and ripping her flesh wide open with their ragged, serrated edges and she felt her breath become shallow from the effect on her lungs but still she held on as tight as she could. His efforts were unable to relinquish her hold and he roared in pain and outrage as he felt his body begin to purify even as the blood began to trickle from the corners of her own mouth.

His face was turning blue and just when she thought she could see a hint of panic in his eyes, she was suddenly falling, falling into blackness.

She awoke at Kaede's with several more jewel shards to add to her collection. Miroku and Sango told her how Naraku had fled after Inuyasha hit him with another wind-scar once they managed to release her from his spikes and get her onto Kilala.

Kaede had done her best to heal her wounds but her powers had pretty much taken over the process and patched her up in a display that amazed even the wise old miko in their speed. Even Inuyasha was surprised at how quickly she had recovered, implying that she had healed faster than he would.

Not only that, but they had no choice but to wait in joining the other shards with the main fragment hung around her neck as every time Inuyasha tried to reach for it he was shocked by her spiritual powers even in her sleep. Kaede and Kikyo were also unsuccessful in this task while the monk and slayer were content to wait until she awoke.

At the mention of Inuyasha, she realized he was not there to greet her and wondered aloud where he was. When no answer was forthcoming, she sighed and gathered her bathing supplies.

Sango followed her out of the hut and she wondered for an instant why before running headlong into the sight of Kikyo sitting across Inuyasha's lap under the God Tree. They were resting so peacefully and looked so happy to be with the other that she couldn't help the tears that rose in her eyes as she felt her love for Inuyasha dying, impaled with the realization that he would always love Kikyo over her.

Kagome wiped the tears from her face at the memory as she touched down in the past, looking up to see blue skies tinged with fluffy white clouds. The sounds of birds singing mixed with the sound of the wind rushing through the tree tops soothed her while she breathed in the scent of the clean, sweet air thankfully.

She closed her eyes, opening them only when a sudden shadow was cast about her form to see Inuyasha peering impatiently at her from the top.

"You coming up or you just gonna stand there all day?"

Her face fell into a mask of indifference, refusing to show the hurt she felt as she began to silently climb her way to the top. As she reached the lip, she hauled herself over, taking care not to glance even once in his direction before righting herself and heading straight to the village without waiting for him.

Inuyasha knew why she was acting this way and figured it was to be expected. She had to get over the fact that he had chosen Kikyo and that they would never be what she had always hoped they would. He wished things didn't have to be this way but he had to be true to his heart. In truth, he hoped one day they could be friends again, but for now they had to work together until they completed their mission of destroying Naraku and the jewel.

Nevertheless, he didn't like the way she was acting and wished she would just get over it, already. He raced to catch up to her, reaching out to take her hand in an attempt to stop her so they could talk...

"OW!" he shouted as a shock of purifying energy zapped him and he pulled away to hold his burned fingers protectively against his chest. "What'd you do that for?"

"Don't touch me, Inuyasha," she voiced harshly, still facing the opposite direction.

He gulped his shock to the depth of her anger displayed in those curt four words and the understanding that things between them were finished washed over him in a wave of shocking realization. She was right. He didn't have a right to touch her and he was wrong. Maybe he had been wrong about a lot of things regarding Kagome. Maybe it was actions like that that had led her on in the first place.

His expression fell to one of shame and remorse. "I'm sorry," he offered sincerely.

She shrugged lightly before resuming her walk, ending the conversation and the action cut him to the bone. How could he hurt her like this? How could his love of one creature be so harmful to another? But that was the way things were and there was nothing he could do to change it. He couldn't have both and he wanted one more than the other.

Kagome made camp with the others, chatting idly to Sango and Miroku while she passed out her gifts to everyone. Candy for Shippo, soda for Miroku, chocolate for Sango, ramen for Inuyasha and she even brought Kikyo some chocolate, too. ( she had always thought girls needed chocolate and it was a shame that it hadn't been invented yet in this time )

She made coffee for everyone after dinner ( hot chocolate for Shippo ) and passed out all the toiletries she had brought back. Shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste for everyone, deodorant (Inuyasha insisted he didn't need it and Kikyo was...well, not flesh )

Kikyo accepted her gift meekly, softly offering her thanks while Sango gave hugs, Miroku bowed politely, Shippo exclaimed with glee and Inuyasha consumed his ramen heartily.

She watched it all from a far away place, trying her best to wear a smile she didn't feel, to look comfortable where she felt awkward. But she didn't want everyone to know how much she was suffering. She didn't want to darken their hearts with the knowledge of her pain, so great did she want them to survive the final battle and destroy Naraku, to see the jewel gone from this world. Their hearts had to be free to do that and she would not be responsible for contributing to disheveled hope in her group just because she was hurting from a bad break up.

She still cared about Inuyasha and she cared about Kikyo, too. She had always respected their relationship, never wanting to cast a shadow in their regard for one another, never wishing to get in the way. Now she found herself no longer _apart _of the way at all and they had long since passed her by in their wake of devotion. She had no desire to make them feel guilty at their reunion on behalf of her feelings. She had no wish to discourage them from their happiness.

Neither did she wish either couple to be uncomfortable about displaying their love for one another around her but it was inevitable. She could sense the tension in the air all around her as Sango and Miroku avoided one another and Inuyasha and Kikyo seemingly did the same, fearing that if they embraced or held each other she would feel lonesome.

They did not consider that this seemingly helpful action only served to drive the loneliness deep into her heart like a metal wedge. She went to bed early just to be free of the tense atmosphere and laid there staring at the stars for hours before she finally let take sleep her but only just barely. She slept in fits, tossing and turning, the hair plastered to her sweating forehead. The sound of her muffled sobbing reached Inuyasha's sensitive ears from his position at the top a tall tree and it ripped through his heart like a set of iron claws.

Weeks passed and still they pushed themselves to traverse further every day in search of Naraku or the remaining jewel shards. There was no sign of either until late one morning, Kagome was rinsing the dishes from breakfast in a nearby stream when she felt a slight twinge in her mind.

She immediately rose in preparation right as a dusty tornado settled itself directly in front of her, revealing Koga of the wolf tribe. He stood grandly in front of her with his hands on his hips, grinning arrogantly as he always did. For a moment, the familiarity enveloped her and she felt a warm security in his presence. She was actually glad to see him.

"Kouga-kun!" she cried, pushing her face against a muscled chest, her arms locking around his waist to pull him close. Tears sprung to her eyes before she could stop them and she mentally cursed herself for the slip up. She was just so glad to see him! Here was one person from this time that she didn't have to feel awkward around, someone with whom her relationship had stayed exactly the same.

He gathered her against him instantly, confused by her outburst and sudden closeness but eager to comfort her as well. Her sweet, feminine scent enveloped him and he bent his nose forward in order to bring it closer as he memorized the way her small body felt closed safely in his arms, the way her breasts felt pressed firmly to his chest. The smell of salt interrupted his mental scolding of himself not to get an erection and he gently guided her to arms' length to examine her face more carefully.

She smiled a watery smile, her eyes lined with shimmering tears and her cheeks flush with color. He couldn't help but to smile softly back in sympathy at the broken look he found there. One claw delicately swept over her new scar, his expression a silent, reproachful question.

"Naraku," she answered simply and he nodded knowingly, the fury not gone from his eyes.

"Kagome? What's wrong?" he asked gently, warm concern winning the fight against his rage for the vile hanyou.

She couldn't help but feel flattered that he wanted to know, that he spoke as if it bothered him. It made her feel...wanted and cared for again.

He shook his head once at her continued silence and almost pleaded, "Please tell me what's going on?"

She sighed. "I just..." her bottom lip worried itself between her teeth idly before she suddenly released it and looked up at him. "Inuyasha and Kikyo are together now," she finally confessed. "He's chosen and they're traveling together. I don't mind, really," she assured him at his look of outrage. "I love them both and I'm glad that Inuyasha has finally come to a decision that will make him happy. And you know Sango and Miroku have been engaged for some time now and their relationship is coming along pretty fast..." she fidgeted nervously before him, trying to word her feelings right. "Everything is just so different since the break up. Everyone is acting so awkward around me now, like they're afraid to show their feelings for each other or they're afraid to be a couple around me out of pity. It hurts that I make them feel that way just by being close to them. It's the last thing I ever wanted," she finished, a single tear glittering as it fell from a sapphire eye.

Kouga pulled her close again when she finished, his claws softly running down her back in a comforting gesture. "I'll always be here for you, Kagome," he vowed faithfully and she reveled in that promise, a dim light of hope sneaking past the cracks of an ice fortress built around her heart. She looked at him and their gazes locked, Sapphire oceans against Topaz fire.

Kagome found herself lost in those eyes, lost in his bronzed skin and the sense of masculine strength that emanated from not only his muscled physique but his powerful demonic aura. It brushed against her own pure pink one and they both gasped as they felt them beginning to merge with one another, both accepting of the other.

This was new. Kagome had always noticed other demonic auras and when around her demon friends in this time and they had always interacted with her's in a friendly sort of way. But they had never mixed and this was more...sensual. His being entered her's and she was consumed with everything _Kouga_. His earthy scent, wind and rain and soil surrounded her and her eyes dimmed with want as her body grew slack in his arms.

Likewise, Kouga was reveling in the taste, the smell and everything else that was _Kagome_. Her aura had opened to him, meaning only one thing. He sensed her feelings, her emotions, her memories, her opinions and right now, she _wanted _him. It was all he could do not to gather her in his arms and sprint for his den in the East.

She felt his grip firm around her waist as his face came closer until the space between them was closed and his lips were on her's, devouring them. She moaned from the contact and the action surprised her when Kouga's tongue surged into her mouth, gently massaging her's in an erotic fashion that made her blood boil.

Before things could go too far, though, she pulled away and Kouga repressed the urge to growl as he felt her leave his embrace while her aura left his entirely.

"I'm sorry, Kouga," she whispered, panting. A blush stained her cheeks. "I...I'm not...ready for that. It's too...soon."

Kouga nodded understandingly but she was too focused on her feet to notice. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have kissed you. Take as much time as you need, koi. I'm here for you whether you want me as a friend," one claw fixed under her chin to bring her eyes to his, "Or something more."

She shuddered at his touch, closing her eyes softly as he kissed her cheek. In a burst of wind and clouds, he was gone.

Later that night, she and Sango bathed together and she told her about everything that had happened between her and Kouga.

"I don't know, Sango. I...I wanted him to kiss me, in a way," she confessed with a blush and Sango fought the urge to smile at her friend's confession. "But I was just confused, I guess. I mean, I don't know how I was really feeling because I'm still kinda grieving over loosing Inuyasha. I feel bad that everyone feels the need to act distant around me and I guess I'm kind of lonely. I feel left out and I can't stand feeling sorry for myself. Or maybe I just feel detached from everyone else and it's warping my perspective on things...I honestly don't know. But when Kouga showed up, it was a refreshing burst of normalcy and I couldn't help being happy to see him.

"One thing led to another, our auras did this weird thing where they mixed a little and before I knew it, he was kissing me."

Sango perked up at the mention of her aura. "You say they mixed?" she asked interestedly, her eyes fixed seriously on her's.

Kagome got a strange chill from the way she said it. "Yea...around the edges, I could feel them mixing together and when they did, it was like I could _feel _Kouga, from his point of view."

Sango's face twisted into a mischievous grin. "That could only happen if you wanted him, sexually," she revealed slowly.

Kagome's cheeks reddened even further and she ducked down in the water to hide her embarrassment as Sango laughed.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of! You liked it, didn't you?"

Kagome, mortified, nodded. "But I panicked and pushed him away. I couldn't help it! No one's ever kissed me like that before. I just... Oh, how am I supposed to know if I love him, Sango?" she finally cried. "Sure, I find him attractive, but my broken heart could be casting illusions to make me feel better."

Sango sighed. "Well, you're right about not making decisions at this time. You're feeling a lot of things. My advice would be to let one emotion settle before you make a decision on another. Kouga said take all the time you need and that is exactly what you should do. Once you're sure you're over this whole mess, than you can really decide if Kouga is what you want."

She placed a reassuring squeeze to Kagome's knee. "These things take time to heal. No one blames you for needing it and we're all here to support you, no matter what you decide."

Kagome smiled, though inwardly, she already knew she did not desire Kouga as a mate. He offered her attentions she was starved for, her heart starving where he offered sustenance. She was no better than Inuyasha, she realized. She had led him on to believe that he had a chance and only because she was starved for affection.

The following months brought no sign of Naraku or the jewel shards. They were running low on supplies and the entire crew was exhausted, save for Kikyo. Finally Inuyasha made the call to turn back to Edo to rest and restock.

Once settled in, Kagome asked Sango if she would mind training her in psychical combat. Sango was more than happy to agree and began that day teaching Kagome a series of stretches, blocks and defenses.

She had gone to bed tired, sore and shaky but happy.

The next day they began again, bright and early after a light breakfast of rice balls. After hours of slow stretching, they sparred in the early morning air until the sun was high in the sky. As a break, they would swim in the river to cool off before beginning again until dusk.

After stocking her supplies back in her time during one quick visit, they continued their hunt for the shards but Kagome still insisted on continuing her training with Sango at every chance they got.

Before long, she had learned all her hand to hand combat skills, the stances and moves flowing from her with a graceful, practiced form.

Next, Sango insisted, was to learn balance on her feet and quick agility. She had Kagome climbing trees and walking mountain edges with weights strapped to her arms. Her exercises were always fashioned so that failure usually meant death, fear being the constant motivator behind her continued success.

Likewise, hours were spent with Sango holding some part of her body in a precarious position, explaining how to perform what she called handsprings, back bends, cartwheels, tucks, rolls, round offs, flips, swinging kicks and a multitude of other moves that took all her stamina and courage to accomplish. But she learned, given the choice was usually succeed or eat dirt when she fell on her face.

It took her almost two weeks of near-back breaking attempts to run up a tree into a back flip like Sango had and another month before she managed to land on her feet for the first time without her trainer's help.

She lost count of the broken toes and fingers, sprained ankles and pulled hamstrings she acquired while her bumps and bruises became the least of her worries. Vaguely she remembered a time when skinning her knee would bring tears to her eyes. She was proud to admit that it took no less than a broken bone after several months under Sango's tutelage.

One set of nasty splinters set her back more than half a week during one sparring match where she was thrown against a tree but she was on her feet again after prying them out like a trouper a few days later.

In the hours before dawn, she began rising with Miroku and running. He was trained as a Buddhist monk to breathe in a regulated rhythm while accessing a calm part of the mind to endure running over long stretches of space before tiring and he conveyed that teaching to her every day.

She found her sparring lessons with Sango lasting longer and longer, her once delicate, bruised body beginning to toughen as her endurance for those things lengthened much to her trainer's approval. Her lessons were accelerated with the slayer, moving onward to more broader topics.

In the evenings, once the sun had gone down she would sit in Kaede's hut for at least one hour a night concentrating on her powers and another after that studying medicinal herbs.

At first she fell asleep during every lesson with the old miko and for the first few months they didn't study herbs at all. But as Kagome grew used to her new rigorous schedule she had set for herself, she managed to juggle more and more.

The amount of sleep she needed to function was decreased significantly, along with the amount of food she required. For once, she began to wake at dawn without complaint. There was no more bickering on the road about needing breaks because she was tired for which Inuyasha was both amazed and grateful for.

Eventually she managed before dawn running with Miroku, sparring with Sango through out the day as well as any traveling or any encounters with demons, priestess training with Kaede at dusk, herbal training at nightfall and playtime with Shippo until she went to sleep.

When they were not in Edo, Kikyo took over her miko lessons and Kagome found it didn't bother her as she had expected it would. Instead, she found herself looking forward to what Kikyo would teach her next every day. Kikyo went so much further than Kaede in her lessons, expecting more potential from her and knowing exactly where her limits were. She was excited and eager to absorb everything she had to teach and Kikyo could not help some what enjoying the lessons with the jubilant young girl that was so like and yet not like her at all.

The best part about it was that their lessons were always private. Without Inuyasha coming between their affections, the two women found common ground they may have never knew they possessed had the hanyou not finally made a decision.

A year later, Sango had her on basic weapons training. They started with small throwing blades, then moved up to ninja stars. Her aim was already honed from her use of a bow and she caught on quick learning the weight and subsequent speed of a knife or dagger. She showed her how to make her own hidden 'pop out' blades to apply where ever she thought would be most helpful, suggesting the outer forearms in case she were ever assaulted from the front on the ground.

Next was staff training and Miroku was recruited as her sparring partner while Sango moonlighted her every move, offering correction where she saw mistakes. Half a year of concussions, split lips, bit tongues, raw knuckles and bruises later, she could successfully ward off both Sango and Miroku attacking her at the same time.

Several months later she was taught with a katana and after that Sango decided that she was ready to be fitted for her own weapons and armor.

Sango settled on a beautiful, light weight staff made of silver birch wood with a double sided blade attached to one end and a spike on the other for grounding. She had it blessed by Kaede and engraved with Kanji prayers symbols by the smithy that forged it so Kagome could eventually learn to infuse her purification powers with it.

Her armor consisted of an outfit like Sango's, a skin-tight under layer of black offering demon-bone protection at her shoulders, knees and elbows. The only difference was that where Sango's outfit was lined in reds and pinks, Kagome's was lined in dark blue and silver.

Her slayer sister purchased an outer kimono wrap to go around it, allowing quick access to her battle form. The bottom half was inked in a rich blue which gradually faded as it moved up shade for shade until you reached the top where it became a billowing white. A pale blue obi matched the shade around her waist.

The attire allowed her to fit in much better when they passed villages or happened upon an enemy. Sango explained that as women dressed this way, their chances of being underestimated in a fight were pretty large and that they should always take advantage of that and Kagome learned how fitting in could sometimes be just as advantageous to surviving in the Feudal Era as learning to fight was.

"Naraku is in hiding," Kagome finally huffed to the rest of the camp one night after dinner. It was what they were all thinking but didn't want to say. Their continued failure to find some sign of the jewel was beginning to frustrate even the most patient occupant of the Inu tachi.

"He's afraid of what we'll do when we find him. And well he should be," she threatened.

Everyone seemed to nod their silent agreement. Miroku rubbed his beaded hand again curiously.

"You know, it has felt different ever since that last battle with him," he remarked, his attention on the wrapped cursed palm. "It seems to be weakening day by day. I didn't notice it at first but as time has gone on, I think I can really tell a difference."

Everyone focused attention on the monk.

"Keh!" Inuyasha scoffed, "Why didn't you say something before now, Miroku? Let's see it!"

Miroku shrugged and walked several yards away from his companions before unleashing the wind tunnel into an open field in the opposite direction.

"It's...it's not the same," Kagome managed as she inspected the voracity of the winds as well as the light that came from the wind tunnel itself. No longer did it glow with black tendrils of power but a weak gray color that was slightly softer though no less dangerous.

"But what does it mean?" Sango inquired once the hole was again re wrapped with the rosary. Miroku rolled his shoulders, looking off into the distance. "I'm not sure. But my bets are on that he's not happy."

The shared expression of hope that passed across the features of all those gathered in the clearing was tangible at the evidence Miroku supplied. Naraku was almost finished and the war was almost won.

The monk resumed his place next to the slayer on a log by the fire and draped one arm across her shoulders casually. She responded by leaning into his warmth comfortably, content in reveling in the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.

Kikyo and Inuyasha also shared heated looks and Kagome could tell they all hoped, yearned for the possibility of just being with each other, of just living in a world without the constant fear of death, violence and corruption. While the world would always hold these things to a degree, they were close to ridding it of the worst villain it had ever seen and when he finally fell to his death they would be that much closer to reaching those dreams.

It gave everyone a light feeling of hope, everyone except Kagome who could feel the end of her mission in this time slowly edging closer, bringing with it the inevitability of her decision to go or stay. Sure, she loved Miroku and Sango like a sister would her siblings and Shippo was like a son to her. Kikyo and Inuyasha also played the role of older siblings in her life but without a romantic interest to tether her in this time, she would not be able to justify leaving her family behind in the future. Still, she knew she would long for this world once it was taken away from her, long to see endless starry skies unobstructed by light pollution, long to breath in clean, fresh air, long to drink from unpolluted streams, long for the independent life she could live here, taking care of herself.

She would be alone, she realized, in the end if she chose to stay. Shippo would need training soon to hone his own powers and they had long discussed the traditions of kitsune training. She knew within the turn of a year, he would be gone indefinitely to pursue that end. Miroku and Sango would settle down and Kikyo and Inuyasha would more than likely follow suit...

She could train with Kaede as a priestess and study herbs, helping the old miko until her time came. But then what? What would be her purpose in this world?

A chill wind picked up and Kagome shivered against it, feeling the familiar twang of anxiety and self consciousness, a swell of insignificance beginning to build inside her.

Even if she went back home, she would never be approved to go to college. She had simply had too many absences to even consider it an option. The only course left would be to start out at a low paying job and work her way up. She cringed at the thought of waiting tables and the life that would bring. She could already see herself withering away in that life, slowly succumbing to depression until she simply burned out like candle flame.

With a nod of her head, she dismissed the thought. Looking around at her friends, her heart softened. She decided then and there that she would do everything, everything she could to keep them alive. She would ensure that she was good for something and that she would NOT simply fade out of heart and memory. She would make a difference because she no longer had anything to loose.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	2. Shadow of love

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

**AN: Chapter inspired by PJ Harvey: Shame**

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Kagome had not even broken a sweat as she passed Miroku in their laps for the second time that morning. Miroku watched her with both concern, confusion and a bit of pride but he did not say anything. The mind was a delicate thing during trance, after all. It wasn't really his place to stop her. So he did the only thing he _could _do and that was to try and keep up.

Her feet fell into a rhythm, her mind connected with her body and spirit that kept her in a calm, almost sedative state.

His indigo eyes widened in shock at her speed, knowing no mortal could accomplish such. Even the head monk at the temple in which he trained after he surpassed his mentor, Mushiin was not connected enough to his Chi to access such strength. Every day, the girl-become-woman before his eyes got stronger and stronger, surpassing every expectation they set for her. Every day he began to ask himself if she was, in fact, mortal at all.

Kagome was oblivious to the monk's queries as she ran, feeling so in tune with her body and the energies around her that her concentration would not, could not be broken. Her heart thundered in her chest in perfect rhythm with her steps, her breath lined to match it all. In her head, she let all the stress of her life melt away until she felt invincible.

In a way, she was glad that she and Inuyasha had not pursued a relationship together and that he had chosen Kikyo over her. In retrospect, there were a lot of things about the hanyou she didn't like, now that her perspective on the matter was extraneous enough to really look at the pros and cons.

Inuyasha was childish, immature, and jealous. She was very intelligent and their conversations lacked the depth she craved. She couldn't very well have a political debate with Inuyasha or a philosophical one, for that matter. She had told herself that he had a good heart and that was enough.

But now, she began to wonder if it was in fact enough to sustain a working relationship.

He almost never bathed and getting him to was like pulling teeth. She often wondered how he could go so long with his sensitive nose smelling the way he did until she caught him taking a long sniff of his armpits one day and came to the conclusion that he enjoyed his own potent scent. That had creeped her out a bit.

He was also very needy for attention. He hated it when she and Sango talked for longer than usual or he was left out of any conversation. Now that he had Kikyo, she was no longer his constant feed and she felt relieved that someone else had taken that place.

Her eyes caught the light of the rising sun and she gasped at the beauty before her. A sea of colors grew across the clear sky, from a dark purple to a deep red until the first lines of golden amber lined the horizon.

She breathed in the sight, loving it and felt another energy boost as her spirit connected with the energy in the universe. Her speed increased until her foot falls no longer registered and she felt as though she were flying across the landscape, her movements graceful.

There was no specific direction she was trained on and she had long ago left the usual running trail with Miroku far, far behind her. Still, she allowed the energy to fill her and lead her on, not wanting the feeling of connectivity to end.

Her heart was filled with love, love for the beauty of nature around her, love for the scent that came to her nose of the outside world, love for the people she traveled with, love for the world. It grew and grew inside her until she was practically glowing with energy, the energy of the universe, the energy of the Kami.

She thought of Inuyasha and what a silly, doe-eyed, dependent girl she had been. How she had fawned over him like a fool, never seeing beyond the boundaries of her own hopes for what could be to what actually _was_.

She blindly offered her love to him, content to accept nothing in return. Only now did she realize that it was her own wounded self worth that allowed her to do such a thing. She felt her love was worthless and expected nothing for it. She had told herself she was being selfless and she was to an extent. But only to the harm of herself.

Slowly, those feelings of insignificance began to change. She taught Inuyasha to open his heart to others and he, while not offering to return her feelings, gave her something much more valuable in return. He taught her to love herself by making her stronger.

All his pushing, his badgering, it had been for one goal: her protection. She needed to walk long distances every day so her body could get tougher. She needed to learn to fight so she could protect herself. She needed to learn to not be so quick to emotion so that her enemies could not distract her so easily. If she cried because he called her a wench, what would she do if her enemy called her something worse?

She could not hate Inuyasha. He had helped her grow, had sowed the seed that set her on the path she walked today.

Still, there were lingering feelings of upset regarding her own actions. In truth, she was ashamed of her feelings. Ashamed to admit the darkness in her heart that existed when she first realized Inuyasha's feelings for Kikyo. She had been jealous, she could not deny it. She felt Kikyo was much better than her and even Inuyasha had mentioned it a few times after she failed to accomplish something.

Her confidence waned in Kikyo's shadow and she distrusted and disliked her incarnation for many years, right up until they started working together and Kagome saw Kikyo fighting firsthand against Naraku. She had never felt such dark feelings for a person before that and now that they were gone, she couldn't help feeling that they could return.

She would do anything to help her friends. She would lay down her very life to protect them, as she had done on several occasions in the past.

Kouga. What was she going to do about him? He had always claimed her as 'his woman' but until that day by the river, she had honestly never given much thought to it. But now it was clear that the wolf prince really wanted her as a mate and she had led him to believe she was interested, if not with her words, than with her body language.

She had been in the position of giving love to someone that didn't return your feelings before and had no desire to put Kouga through a mess in any way similar to what she had gone through.

All through the triangle between she, Inuyasha and Kikyo, she had hoped and wished for his honesty. After years of traveling together, of promising to stay with each other, she realized it all meant nothing when the truth finally came in the form of his actions. She could not be blind to that.

She had foolishly told herself there was hope every time he went off to see her and lied about it. Foolishly admonished herself for being angry with him. Only now did she realize that she was worth more, that she deserved to be treated better.

Because what it all boiled down to in the end was that her love was not a weak thing, it was a powerful thing. The more she loved the more powerful it became. It had shown Inuyasha how to make friends and trust others, it had brought Sango from suicidal rage to the calm, resolved woman she was today, it had provided the love of a parent to an orphaned fox kit and it was her love for friends and her desire to protect them that would see Naraku to his end.

Kagome continued to run until all that remained of her was a tiny dot in the distance and then, nothing at all, her body hundreds of miles from Edo and showing no signs of stopping.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	3. Parabola

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

**Chapter inspired by Tool: Parabola**

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Her eyes opened to orange firelight, her naked back lying on the warm stone of a cave. Light flickered across her face and she could feel the hum of her barrier outside the entrance, though she had no memory of either creating or sustaining it.

The fire crackled softly before her, a large pile of wood gathered for the night off to the side of it. The sound of her heartbeat thumped in her ears and idly she noticed that she could hear her own blood flowing through her own veins. A mental picture of capillaries swimming through plasma in the fifth grade, red blood cells and white blood cells like spaghetti o's racing down a red water slide.

She made no move to sit up or to change her position in any way. She was aware that it was the dead of night, that she hadn't returned to her friends and they were probably worried about her but for a reason she could not place, she felt lying still was the best option.

The last thing she remembered was running with Miroku and surpassing him, then this surge of overwhelming energy. Now her body seemed to be pulsing with that same energy. She was _connected _to something she couldn't explain, something very much larger than her on the scale of things and even really, if she thought about it, all of the human race. It was everything and she was far too deep entangled in it now to see her way out again. This was a _'buy the ticket, take the ride' _kind of show and slowly, she was becoming more aware of everything around her.

It was night time. She could tell by the musical chorus of insects chirping in the distance as well as the slight chill against her back. Silver moonlight filtered through the light of her barrier, shedding silver light where the flames and her power could not.

She smiled as the power reached a very pleasurable peak on her body. The flames seemed to leap in response to her loving call and she grinned at the power it gave in turn. It was a warm, electrifying energy, dancing before her excitably as if to ask her permission. She smiled and nodded, humming appreciatively as fiery tendrils reached out to stroke her belly with a comfortable warmth. She arced her back to give it more access, nodding her permission, hissing with satisfaction when they blazed across her breasts. The more of her body the flames touched, the higher they reached until they danced across the walls of the cave.

The fire was sex and want, desire, lust, pleasure, a giddy happiness. It was the rush of the fall, the plight of the risk, the underbelly of innocence where sin was accepted and celebrated and loved like all other natural traits, where urges were accommodated and not denied. It was the racing buildup of a climax and she gave herself freely, releasing her inhibitions, cumming to the sound of the roaring flames. She gave to it her lust, her pleasure, her cum, her passion, she let it pull from her cries of ecstasy, wonder and need.

A chill wind swept against her back again, causing her spine to tingle in a delicious way while her nipples hardened in acknowledgement. The wind was freedom, a light-weight buoyancy, a drifting cloud on a sunny day. It seemed to possess a child-like innocence as it flirted with her hair and fingertips, as if to urge her into a bare foot run through the forest. It was mischievous, capable of growing into a strong frenzy, a hailstorm, a whirlwind, a hurricane, if not cared for and attended properly. She sent her approval, her gratitude, her awe and her compassion, feeling the breeze pick up in tempo as tendrils of it seemed to wrap around her waist, caressing her body in response. She felt lightweight, carefree, her heart soared.

Palms flattened against the warm stone as she closed her eyes, feeling the hum of energy beneath her fingertips. It spoke of memories it had seen, of an ageless and solid wisdom that persevered above all else. Where the other elements allowed themselves to wither and die only to be reborn, the stone remained. Where water fell, dried and fell again the stone remained. While fire burned and died to burn again, the stone remained. The wind blows and falls stills, the plants grow and die. They come and they go but the earth, the stone, it remained. It watched and it aged, infinite and eternal.

_For all its howling, the mountain will never bend to the wind, no matter how hard it blows._

She could sense that it ached to convey so much and she listened patiently, softly comforting and appreciating it, acknowledging the significance, no, the _importance _of its memories. She thanked it for supporting her now, for channeling the warmth of the fire. She gave to it her trust by placing the weight of her body into its arms, making their connection between flesh and stone feel like an intimate and protective embrace.

The water manifested itself from particles in the air collecting on each other until many large drops sparkled in the air before the fire. Kagome thought they looked like tiny jewels. They started to move in sync with each other, a kind of push and pull motion, rocking back and forth, as if they were all suspended in a lazy tide.

She felt drawn to the push and pull motion, the effect of the moon on the ocean's surface and then it was as if she were in the ocean at night, swallowed up in heaving, black waves as her body was dropped and risen, dropped and risen, pushed and pulled until she was very aware of the water's power. It was everywhere. The sea, the clouds, the air, the plants, everything that lived had water. Her own blood sung as a testament to this thought and then she was back in the cave with the warm stone supporting her, the fire pleasuring her, the wind playing with and the water enlightening her. She gave to it her intuition, her sight, her patience and her courage.

As she gave out her own energy, she felt the world responding, sending it back tenfold. The energy _entered _her, the water into her blood, the stone into her bones, the wind into her lungs, the fire into her heart, all of them, whispering words through her being, helping her realize what she had been and what she fast of the path to becoming.

She had never felt more content. Her powers were churning beneath her skin, the well containing them deepening in their depth, calling to the elements, until she felt as if she could shake the very foundations of the earth with her power. She _was _the earth and the earth was she. The embodiment of all life thrummed within her chest, her heart beating to an ancient rhythm in time with the world, with the universe, with the Kami. All of nature was Kami and she sent out her adoration to the world, her love, her power.

Her mind spoke with the voices of the earth, answering her call and completing the form of her destiny. They comforted her, encouraged her and she trusted in them completely, turning her body, soul and mind over to this holy interaction. She sent her answering call of complete acceptance to the world knew that after this night she would never be the same Kagome again.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	4. The Voice

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

**Chapter inspired by Hayley Westenra: The Voice**

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When Kagome awoke the next morning at dawn, she felt different. Her body felt different, her mind awakening into the trance-like state that Kaede and Miroku had been teaching her to reach after hours of meditation. She was calm, relaxed and focused. The mindset somehow came naturally to her with an ease she was not used to exhibiting.

Waves of pleasure and the sense of being connected with the world made her smile and she hummed under her breath a cheery, light tune as she put out the smoldering coals of her fire from the night before with the remainder of the water she had brought along when she was running with Miroku.

Stretching, she took time to admire the view from her cave. A swell of pride filled her heart as she looked down at the precarious cliff she stood a top and knew that she had traversed the steep, rock incline in the dark with little effort.

She knew the abilities she was beginning to exhibit were not natural for mortals. In her connected state with the earth, however, she felt a strong, powerful reassurance from the powers that be, whispers in her soul that comforted every doubt and fear until she knew that everything was happening as it should be.

Warm sunlight poured across her body and she allowed herself the time to feel it sink into her core, warming her to the bone. Her smile was easy, her laughter, light and merry as a gentle, flirtatious breeze married with her hair as it danced about her form.

To the south west, she could sense the mingling auras of her friends just beginning to awaken. Her feet left the cliff face with little thought, her arms stretching out as if to fly as she allowed her body to simply fall over the ledge.

Nearing the ground, her foot connected with the wall as she pushed herself into a back flip. After six full turns, both feet planted firmly on the soil with a graceful thud before she launched herself into a run in the direction she sensed the camp.

She arrived within moments to the warm sight of Sango and Miroku making breakfast and tea together while Shippo followed them around eagerly in the hopes that he could help. When the little fox scented his favorite miko, his eyes lit up as he turned sharply in her direction before sprinting and attaching himself to her shoulder.

"Hi Shippo! I missed you!" Kagome exclaimed as he buried his nose into her neck, taking a large pull of her scent. It seemed to soothe him as he relaxed in her hold and she patted his head softly in a reassuring gesture.

Miroku and Sango both seemed pleased to see her. Sango took her into a bone crushing hug as Miroku bent to retrieve something from the ground while they talked.

"Kagome-chan, you worried me!" she mock scolded in a playful tone. "And I missed our training session, not that you really needed it. I guess I really didn't notice how much I had come to enjoy it until yesterday when you didn't show. What happened, anyway? We searched for you all day and nearly half the night. Neither Inuyasha or Shippo could catch your scent and Kikyo said she couldn't sense you, either."

Miroku had returned with her staff and bowed mildly in a polite gesture as he extended it to her elegantly, the silver-white wood shining in the sunlight.

Kagome took a moment to admire the weapon before her, the black, graceful kanji engraved in a swirling pattern down the shaft, the glint of the sharp, double sided blade in the sunlight near blinding in its intensity. The wood _sung _to her, almost humming with a low resonance she could only just now detect. It was hushed like the rolling fog moving through a dense wood but swift and deadly, easily underestimated by its slim form. This, they had in common.

Shippo jumped down from her neck to the ground so she could take it. Her fingers reached out, taking a firm hold of the soft wood and she grinned as it fell into her palms in a practiced, familiar sort of way. She had...missed it. She had missed her weapon. The weight of it in her hands, the texture against her skin. It was oddly reassuring in a way she hadn't expected and she was suddenly overjoyed to be holding it again, though in her absence the thought of missing it had not occurred to her.

This was the first time she had been apart from it since it had been gifted to her and she was thrilled and amazed to learn how much apart of herself it had become.

When she and Miroku had ran in the mornings, she had gotten into the habit of leaving it behind at camp so her speed would not be hindered by the added weight. It was hard enough, then, to keep up with Miroku without it.

But now it was light in her grasp, like an extension of herself. She felt connected to it, as she felt connected to the earth beneath her, the breeze on her back, the fire in front of her and her dear friends.

Both Sango and Miroku shared knowing smiles, all too aware of the reservations one has for their weapon. They understood the necessary bond that had to exist and Miroku, as a trained Buddhist monk, knew that close contact at all times was an essential key. It appeared Kagome's bond with her glaive was strong, judging from her reaction.

In truth, he was just glad to see her again. He did not know what was happening with or to his friend at the moment, but he could sense her building power. Her aura alone was near blissful in its intensity and warmth.

Kagome sat slowly to a fallen tree trunk by the fire and motioned for her friends to do the same. Shippo curled up in her lap as she explained what she remembered of the day before and the sense of feeling connected and energized. She told them about the barrier she had constructed in her sleep and the fire she had obviously built without even realizing it.

Miroku surmised that she had reinforced her barrier with a concealing agent that would have blocked her scent and aura. If he was right and by her description he felt he was, they had passed by her chosen cave several times in search for her the day before and hadn't felt even the slightest indication of her magic or proximity. For her to be able to achieve such a complicated spell while unconscious was not only unheard of, it was unprecedented.

Kagome then explained the lingering connection she felt with the elements and the state of love that left her lucid and soft spoken, her countenance warm and inviting.

With a softening brow and a small smile, she waved her hand at the fire in front of her and her friends gasped as the flames suddenly leapt into the air as if they contained a will of their own and that will wanted to fulfill her every command.

The demonstration left them awestruck and she stood with her staff in hand before they had righted themselves to announce in a sweet, sing song voice, "I'm a going to kill Naraku now. I can sense him and the remainder of the jewel. It's calling me," she explained as her fingers found the chain around her neck housing nearly all of the purified jewel. It sparkled its pink purity to the world, protected in the embrace of her powerful aura. Thinking better of the action, she slipped her fingers past the white folds of fabric at her chest and the hidden black armor underneath to rest the jewel against the flesh of her chest, once again hidden from view.

"Kagome-sama," Miroku rasped, nodding reverently, awed and humbled to be so close with an entity so connected to the Kami. This was Kagome but not Kagome. The girl he knew had transformed, her being welded and mixed with something more ancient and eternal. The friend he knew was still there only she lacked the uncertainty she used to carry and seemed already to know the path of her destiny so well. He bowed low before her. "I beg you to allow me the honor of fighting at your side. I have long awaited the vengeance for my fathers and fore fathers."

Sango also sensed the change in conversation and while at first she was caught in a daze of uncertainty regarding her sister, now she seemed to understand. In a split second, she was right back to the old Sango. "Oh, I don't think so! You're not going off to defeat Naraku on your own, Kagome!" she wagged a finger scoldingly.

Kagome reached out and took Sango's hands in her's, looking her in the eye and baring her heart on her sleeve. She then turned to Miroku and did the same, drawing their hands to be clasped together. Next, she joined Shippo's hands until all three pairs were clasping her's as she sent her thoughts to them in one pulse of feeling. All the understanding coursed through them in an instant and they all fell back.

No real words were said, just the instant moment of revelation. But later, when they would try to communicate the sensation, they would all agree on one clear message:

_You have done enough fighting. You have earned your peace. It is my destiny to right this mess. My very existence began with the desire to save all of those connected with the jewel from their plight, to right a very outspoken wrong. My love will save you all and that is as it should be._

When they righted themselves, there would be no sign of Kagome. Shippo took her disappearance the best of all of them, though Miroku suspected that perhaps his friend had imparted more to the little fox kit than she had he and Sango. He was like her son, after all.

Still, all experienced the dreadful feeling that they wouldn't see her again until after Naraku was dead.

After leaving her friends behind, Kagome headed for the spot she sensed Inuyasha and Kikyo. Her senses told her they were alone.

Her hunt found her near a hot spring and she watched from a safe distance from behind as Kikyo held Inuyasha to her chest. Her pale fingers were stroking his silver hair in a comforting way.

"Inuyasha," Kikyo's light, firm voice finally called out gently. "You will find her. I am sure Kagome is alright."

"Keh," he scoffed into her shoulder disbelieving and she bit out a laugh at his childish behavior. Her countenance became serious again as she continued to gently stroke his hair.

"I sense that all is right with the world. Kagome has demonstrated excellent skill in these past years. She is coming into her true self. I am sure her disappearance and the monk's strange description of her running skills just mean that she's stretching her new legs out."

Inuyasha sighed against her, still trying to fight her reasoning. "Even so, it's Naraku we're talking about. She has nearly the entire jewel, she's sure to be an instant target."

Kagome couldn't see it since her back was to her, but she could swear she could almost feel Kikyo's gentle smile and she heard it in her voice when next she spoke.

"You are a fool to underestimate my reincarnated soul."

Kagome smiled knowingly, comforted by the knowledge that Kikyo understood. Her heart warmed to the notion that Inuyasha was still so protective and considerate of her and even more to see that Kikyo was ever on her side.

Still, there was something about the way the two lovers lay wound about one another that made her pull herself away, feeling as though she were intruding on a very intimate moment.

Idly, she pulled an arrow from her quiver and infused it with her message before pinning it to the trunk of a tree in the path they would take to get back to camp. It remained a glowing, luminescent torch in the daylight, a shining beacon sure to catch the eye. She knew Kikyo would know just what to do.

She had waited too long to come to herself. Now that she understood who she was and what she had to do, she couldn't help feeling impatient with herself and wishing it hadn't happened sooner. So much suffering. So much pain.

Every time her group met with Naraku, she could have stopped him. She had the power to but merely lacked the focus and understanding. She understood now.

The longer she waited, the more her friends suffered, the more people from all over Japan suffered. The time had come.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel.**


	5. Joyful Girl

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

**AN: Chapter inspired by Ani Difranco: Joyful Girl**

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Inuyasha and Kikyo dressed after lounging in the hot spring. Once they gathered their supplies, he lifted her onto his back and made out the way they had come, headed back to camp.

They only made it a few strides, however, before his feet came skidding to a sudden halt, nearly sending Kikyo to her rear in the jolt. She righted herself quickly to find the shaft of a sacred arrow pinned to the trunk of a tree before them.

Immediately she let herself down and moved closer to inspect the holy energy. She raised one palm above it, feeling the waves of purity lap against her hand as the familiar signature imprint was recognized by her own.

"It's Kagome's," Inuyasha answered quickly, as if she needed clarification. "Her scents' all over it."

"Yes," Kikyo answered, lowering her hands. "This is a message meant for both of us. We must grab the base of the shaft together at the same time to understand its intended purpose."

Inuyasha's eyes went wide. "Won't it purify me?"

She smiled softly. "You really think she would leave something harmful for us?"

"No, of course not!" he defended himself anxiously, crossing his arms about his chest. "I mean, who knows with that girl? She has no idea how to control her power!"

Kikyo's eyebrows shot up into her hair line. "No control?" she questioned softly. "I would not be able to 'control' the amount of spiritual power that girl has been blessed with were I in her position. She handles it remarkably well." Inuyasha's eyes gaped at her sound declaration. Kagome was more powerful than he thought.

"Now, on the count of three," she continued and Inuyasha gulped. "One, two..."

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Kagome ran hard in the direction she sensed the remainder of the jewel, its tainted energies practically leaving a smoky, black trail for her to follow in its wake.

As she neared its position, she began to sense the combination of many lesser demon auras building in the distance. Soon she could hear them unleashing their cannibalistic, brutal sounds of aggression and challenge. Growling, snarling, screaming. The hoards were blood thirsty and ravenous. Naraku sensed her coming and he was pulling out all the stops.

The first of many multicolored creatures came into her sight at the next clearing. A cluster of them were headed away from her, back in the opposite direction and towards the jewel.

Kagome paused to spike her staff into the ground and draw her bow, a weapon of air, fire and earth, before unleashing a potent arrow to clear the way. Her power ripped through foliage and demon flesh alike with a blue flash of purity, the ground sizzling in the wake of its aftermath.

The high pitched scream of a female pierced the silence. Kagome turned sharply at the sound as she strung another arrow and released it in the direction she heard the scream.

She ran through the path she had created until she came upon the scene. A two headed dragon stood in the middle of the clearing, both heads facing the opposite direction from her. Behind him crouched a small, green demon carrying a tall staff who stood protectively before a tiny, human girl.

"Rin!" she called out in recognition. The girl turned and ran to her side, followed by the imp close on her heels.

Once Rin was safely behind her, she gave orders to Jaken to watch her back as she approached Ah-Un from behind, trying to get a look at what they were so threatened by.

In the distance, she thought she saw a flicker of movement. Blinking, she tried to catch sight of it again, but there was nothing. The wind swept innocently across an open field at sunset.

The continued growls of Sesshomaru's dragons warned her otherwise and she was not so much a fool as to underestimate their intelligence. Her own senses were crawling with alarm; there was something out there, she could feel it. She just couldn't _see _it for some reason.

Scanning the space before her again, this time she opened her eyes more fully, deciding to look at things from a different angle.

Sure enough, she could just make out the glimmer of a tainted shikon shard glimmering in the shadow of an oak. As she pinpointed the creature's location, she could suddenly make out the large, brown, spiky outline of its form.

As if it sensed her attention, a large, disfigured head turned with an audible snap of its neck sharply to gaze directly into her eyes. Pale yellow eyes glared at her above a round hole in its face, filled to the brim with razor sharp, jagged teeth that jutted from its jaw in a disproportionate, unnatural way.

A whirring sound, like the sound of a grinder cutting against steel, caused her to grimace as she recognized the flash of his teeth spinning in his mouth at a spectacular speed. The hole was turned into a make shift, electric saw, his lips just thin and torn pieces of flesh. His whole body looked like dried out, brown leather, hideously cracked in places and deformed in others.

Kagome counted three almost arm-like appendages that came to one fleshy, understated brown tip, protruding from one side of his body. The other side had two similar ones in completely different places and at completely different angles.

The thing moved and Kagome bit her tongue to keep from gasping out loud as eight, long, spider-like legs were revealed to spread out around him defensively.

It charged, the strange form moving faster than she had anticipated and leaving her no time to pull off her outer wrap to expose the battle attire beneath. It moved like a distorted spider, its swiftness equally as terrifying as its appearance.

As it came closer, she strung an arrow and was just about to fire when Au-Un let out a massive roar before building two balls of light in their mouths. The balls fired like a cannon, shaking the ground and flew at the creature but he side stepped the attack at the last second continuing his pursuit.

"Take Rin and get to cover!" Kagome heard herself shouting to Jaken as she released the shaft of her arrow at the thing before swinging her staff around in a defensive position.

The creature made no move to stop her attack and the purity of the shaft grazed across his right side, taking one of his arms and back legs with him. Despite the success of the blow, he did not seem encumbered in the slightest and Kagome prepared to melee him hand to hand.

She charged her staff with holy power until it burned with blue flame before swinging it hard at the creature's head. It dodged stealthily and she left an opening with the miss while the legs made to trap her, grabbing the fabric of her armor and pulling with all the strength it could muster.

Kagome cringed as she felt the coarse, dark hair of the creature's legs, the spiky implements stabbing her all over in random places as they converged around her like a jail cell.

One dug deeply into the meat of her thigh, roughly about the width of a golf ball. Another was hooked into the flesh of her shin while another pierced her back, near the spine. The pain was immaculate. The blood rushed to her wounds, anxiously feeding the injured fount. The bone armor around at her shoulders, elbows and knees protected her joints but any area of her body protected only by fabric suffered.

She felt as strands of her hair began to rip out at the roots, snapping as they tangled against the spiky legs. Her scalp protested with angry, burning pain. Still, she refused to relent to the creature's will. Even as the thing cleaved to her, ripping her flesh open with its razor sharp legs in an attempt to quell her resistance to its spinning mouth, she struggled against it, bending, twisting and breaking each arm that managed to grab hold of her, shocking it with her purity right as it was about to swoop in for the final blow.

The thing roared its frustration in her face, raining putrid saliva all over her in a demonstration of malignant fury. One large, armored leg struck her across the cheek and she laughed her insolence in response. She tried to lash out with her staff again but found her arms pinned to her sides, her weapons strewn across the ground beside her. The grinding sound was loud in her ears as the thing's grotesque face lowered to meet her's, relishing the taste of its victory and prize.

She closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel her own heartbeat. It immediately fell back into its natural rhythm to beat one with the earth, the trees, the wind. She could hear the hearts of her companions behind her, the deep, steady drum of the dragon, the slow, short beats of the imp and the soft, long beats of the girl, Rin. She could hear her little voice crying behind Jaken, screaming her name. She could hear Jaken holding her back, trying to cover the child's eyes from viewing what could be an ugly death.

Time trickled to a slow pace as she suddenly felt the beast's heart thrum against her. As it did, she could see its aura surround them in a faded red color. She could see her own answering blue one threatening to burn the red away. Focusing on that battle, she poured her energy into her aura, thickening it, concentrating the flow of energy until it pushed the red back and back until she felt the blue, crashing waves of her purity envelope both of them in a dome of light.

The thing roared in outrage in her face again as its body began to purify, his flesh cracking before slowly disintegrating into dust on the wind.

The defiled shard that been lodged deep within its mouth dropped to her chest, purifying on contact. Kagome quickly fused the shard with her own piece around her neck before deftly hiding it once again beneath her shirt.

"Kagome-chan!" Rin squealed as she raced to her side. Tears were still making tracks down her cheeks and her eyes were blood shot. Kagome regretted scaring her so badly.

The child crashed into her knees, pulling her into a tight embrace. Her tiny body shook with anguish against Kagome's supporting hands and she mourned every sniffle she heard from the poor child. "Are you ok?" Rin finally managed, her breath hitching from her upset as she pulled away to look up at her with red, puffy cheeks.

Maternal nature kicking in, she felt the smile spread across her face and decided it felt natural to mask the pain as she sat down in the grass, fanning out the torn fabric of her wrap to hide the rips in her outfit that might reveal any blood to the child. She tucked a rouge strand of hair behind her ear affectionately. The girl's answering smile was soul mending.

"I'm fine, Rin. I'm so sorry if I scared you. Are you injured?"

She shook her head back and forth quickly, her eyes wide. "Thank you for saving me, Kagome-sama!"

Kagome jumped at the new title and smiled broadly. Rin smiled in response a toothy grin and Kagome felt her insides melting all over again. She then turned to Jaken. "Where is Sesshomaru?"

The toad looked indignant, his brows furrowing in insult. "None of your business."

Kagome huffed and spared a glance at the dragon, who had settled on the ground once the commotion was over and seemed to shrug before looking away from the scene disinterestedly. Rin giggled.

"Alright, then. Rin. Where is Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked sweetly.

"He went to kill Naraku."

"WHY YOU STUPID HUMA-"

"Enough," a deep, calm voice sounded from the shadows. All present turned to see Sesshomaru gliding silently toward them from the cover of the trees, his usual white attire luminous in the twilight.

His amber gaze swept over Kagome, lingering for a moment on her form in silent question through a mask of indifference before passing right over her entirely.

"Welcome back, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin greeted cheerfully, all signs of her earlier distress gone.

Jaken's mouth hung open in shock at the sudden interruption but he quickly regained his senses and set about his usual ritual. "Lord Sesshomaru! This filthy human miko wench showed up out of nowhere and insisted on fighting a demon that Ah-Un was already busy taking care of-"

Both heads of Ah-Un snorted simultaneously at that declaration, snapping up from their lounging position to glare at the toad forcefully.

Kagome and Rin burst out laughing at the same time.

Sesshomaru glanced from his steed to his retainer with one brow slightly raised skeptically higher than the other.

Jaken glared right back at Ah-Un before continuing with his tirade. "And he would have dealt with him if the girl hadn't intruded and ruined everything! Instead, the thing nearly killed her before she could purify it!"

"Why are you lying, Master Jaken?" Rin asked innocently. "You know Kagome saved us. It was too fast for Ah-Un to hit, Kagome protected us."

"Jaken, you will watch Rin. Miko, come with me." With that, he turned on his heel as Kagome rose to follow him, masking the pain of her injuries with the motion it took to stand. She smiled at Rin warmly as she passed and stuck her tongue out at the imp, causing Rin to burst into peels of raucous laughter.

As she disappeared into the tree line behind Sesshomaru, she waved her hand behind her, erecting a protective barrier around Sesshomaru's pack. When she brought her gaze forward again, Sesshomaru had stopped with his back to her.

In one swift, graceful move, he was suddenly standing before her. Though she trained her face to remain impassive, the sight of him this close up gave her heart a rush of adrenaline. He really did have beautiful eyes. Inuyasha's were the same amber color but there was something more intense about Sesshomaru's. How was it that Inuyasha could appear so intense on the outside but on the inside be dull as a rock while Sesshomaru appeared calm on the outside but on the inside...well, if his eyes were any indication, that is. They stood out in stark contrast to his pale, immaculate complexion. She was suddenly mesmerized by the twin stripes on each cheek, mesmerized by the pale white of his eyelashes that matched the silk starlight of his hair. Her gaze traveled upwards curiously to gaze at the crescent moon etched in the darkest blue across his forehead.

Sesshomaru watched the girl's eyes sweep over him in a curious fashion, deciding to allow her remarkably fearless inspection out of curiosity and to asses her own state of being. He could smell her blood oozing from various wounds, though her stance gave no indication that she had been injured. Nor did her face exhibit any stressful conditions, marking, perhaps, an improvement in discipline. Her form had filled out, her arms and legs curved with the muscles of a trained warrior, he noted. A fact he was easily able to observe given her newest attire, an outfit very similar to the one the human slayer often wore, only her colors were black on dark blue. Sango, was it? So she had been trained. A single, delicate white line scarred her right cheek, slanting like one of his own markings would and he wondered if perhaps that scar was the spark that had motivated her into training.

She had added a new, curious weapon to her armory, he realized, as he noticed the interesting staff curled protectively in her right hand.

Even without the changes to her psychical appearance, Sesshomaru would never have missed the change in her scent and level of her power. Her aura proceeded her from a great distance and the waves of purity that rolled off her being were suddenly greater than any he had ever encountered or even heard possible. A fool could see she was so much more than a simple human priestess now. Her soul, body and mind had evolved into something greater, her spirit resting on a higher plane of existence.

She was suddenly looking up at him, he noticed, in a very strange way. Her brow was furrowed as if she were deep in thought while her gaze softened as she regarded him. He couldn't help but wonder what thoughts were running through her mind.

Kagome was oblivious to the taiyoukai's assessments of her as she drowned in the _understanding _of him. She felt overwhelmed by compassion, suddenly. From the way he had trained Inuyasha to fight, to the way he protected him when he was vulnerable, to the way he cared for Rin, to his very sense of honor and decency, his ability to uphold values and ethics with a will of unrelenting iron; all this knowledge converged on her at once and she was overcome with a sense of gratitude, respect and admiration.

Her aura spiked, suddenly sparkling around the both of them and she saw Sesshomaru take one small step away from her, his eyes wide with alarm and surprise.

Her aura was _opening _to him! _Accepting _him! The surprise of it nearly knocked him off his feet as he was suddenly struck with everything _Kagome_. He stumbled backwards as raw emotion for various people struck his heart like a hammer, forcing him to feel things he didn't even know existed. Never had words like 'compassion', 'self sacrifice' or 'loyalty' meant more to him than in that moment. More than anything, the word 'love' resounded like a tolling bell in the depths of his mind. He was feeling love. The love she had for every being in her life, the protective, fierce loyalty she carried for all of her friends and he sucked in a breath of surprise as the realization that she considered him one of those friends washed over him.

At the same moment, his eyes moved down to his left side to see his arm being stitched out of holy tendrils of energy, or rather, the purity was stimulating his growth rate. In moments, he had his entire left arm back to fill the empty space of his sleeve.

She took several steps back, withdrawing her aura while both parties attempted to collect themselves. Breathing heavily, she rested both her hands on her knees for support as she watched Sesshomaru test his new arm out by flexing his knuckles. He looked up at her, a question softening his features.

Kagome sighed and walked forward. She reached out, smiling when he flinched back in surprise. He stilled again, offering his permission, she expected and she touched the crescent mark on his forehead lightly with the tip of her index finger.

As he was overcome with her message, she began the trek towards Naraku, knowing her barrier around his pack would nullify with his arrival.

Sesshomaru was once again overwhelmed by her essence but this time there was a point of direction to follow. The information was like a euphoric rush, pouring into his brain at a rapid pace and he marveled that he could absorb so much in so little time with so little effort.

He watched as she was born, this young babe with the jewel in her body, pulled into a world and time not her own. She had this destiny, this immense responsibility forced into her hands at a tender age, she had gotten her heart broken, she had been chased, beaten, spit on, tricked, and lied to. She had been kidnapped and captured, brainwashed and poisoned; once more, she had nearly died on so many occasions. She had come so very close.

It showed how every single friend she had made here had betrayed her from the beginning. Sango and Inuyasha both tried to kill her, Shippo and Miroku tricked and stole from her, Kouga tried to kidnap her and force her to submit to him as his mate while he had tried to end her life on two occasions. This, from the beings she considered her closest friends.

He saw her compared to Kikyo, living in the miko's shadow, felt her overwhelming sense of ineptitude, her inability to match up to her predecessor. He saw her over all self image frozen in time, despite her accomplishments. Forever below Kikyo on the scale. Her powers suffered, putting her in danger, putting the people she loved in danger.

The very moment where Naraku's tentacle grazed her cheek, followed by the sight of Inuyasha clinging to the other woman in a passionate embrace displayed itself in perfect clarity through a scene in his mind. He felt as she made herself accept the knowledge, felt as she forced her feelings of affection into a platonic state for his brother. Her unconditional love for Inuyasha crushed her when he chose the other priestess. Her feelings of self worth plummeted as she once again did only what was necessary to make him happy.

Still, she loved and trusted them, saw through to the heart inside. It amazed Sesshomaru that she could do this, know a person despite their past mistakes. Forgive them so entirely, sacrifice so much for them without expecting any sort of reciprocation for her affection and consideration. She gave it without asking. She did so with a blind love until one by one, they all returned her loyalty.

She saved everyone in her group, even risked drowning without hesitation to save her reincarnation, Kikyo, the rival of her own heart. She risked her life to save Rin. Her kit. His hanyou brother. The monk, the slayer, the wolf, she had done it and would do it again without hesitation.

So, she trained both her powers and body. Unlike most humans who would have chosen to wallow in their misery or perhaps induce themselves with a severe amount of self-loathing, she had done what was necessary to move past it and to love, to forgive, despite everything. And in her darkest hour, rather than give into the pain and allow the taint to consume her, she had purified her own heart. What entirely that would entell, he could not yet say.

Even as the visions blinded him to his surroundings, he could still smell the scent of her blood running away from him and he growled slightly his protest. She had grown him back an arm but not taken the time to heal her own wounds.

* * *

**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	6. Indestructible

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

**AN: Chapter inspired by Disturbed: Indestructible  
**

* * *

"...Three!" Kikyo called and simultaneously, she and Inuyasha grasped the hilt of the arrow, their hands overlapping against the shaft. It ignited in golden light as they struggled to free it from the bark and both felt as their ears went silent, like the last second before a supersonic explosion, as the arrow was freed from the wood. An intake of air and the world was filled with bright, golden light.

As the light faded, Kikyo opened her eyes to find her hands still wrapped around the shaft of the arrow. She let go and found a hand obeying her that was not her own. Gasping, she lifted it for inspection to her view, finding that her nails came to tiny, claw like tips.

Her eyes wide now, she laid her hands on Inuyasha and gave him a little shove that was just enough to get him awake. His amber eyes flew open, landing first on the arrow before falling on her own. They widened again looking at her face and she felt her heartbeat quicken in response.

Wait...heartbeat? Sudden exhilaration fed adrenaline into her veins and she felt her heart speed up even more at the elated realization that she was _alive_.

Inuyasha, too, seemed to be listening intently to that sweet sound as the scent of death slowly fled on the air. Looking her over, he realized her now-hanyou ears and reason for her sudden distress. Her new abilities! Her ears, her nose, her eyes, everything was different.

Quickly, he gathered his hands and pulled her closely to him, surrounding her with his scent in Inu instinct. His chest rumbled soothingly against her, almost purring when she leaned gratefully against him in response. Her limbs were once again soft and pliant beneath his hands while her body emitted a warmth he was beyond grateful to feel again. They basked in the building joy together, smiling, laughing, crying their gratitude as she explored her new demonic senses carefully with Inuyasha as a gentle guide.

* * *

Sesshomaru left his ward and retainer protected by a well armed fortress as he rode Ah-Un following a trail with traces of miasma or a fleeting scent on the wind. The strange miko came to mind again and the memory of what she had shared with him was bright in the forefront of his mind. This strange feeling she had somehow managed to make him feel by opening to him, this protective, indulgent, passionate promise to be faithful, to be loyal and to love, love unconditionally.

This was not to say that he had never felt similar sensations in the past. Though it did not appear so, there were many such moments with his ward, Rin, though they were on no scale of comparison to the depth of feeling and hurt the miko subjected herself to.

The..._feeling _of her devotion was crippling. Devastating vulnerability twisted with terror and panic like he had never before allowed himself to feel. It crushed him and he had no choice but to succumb to the sensation, for it was being felt by another and _experienced _through him. Kagome could love so unfathomably deep that it was almost melancholy in its whole; though impressive and admirable in a way that invoked his sense of respect and admiration unrequited.

Because where the feeling weakened, it strengthened, too. Never had he felt such motivation, such reason, such power to do something, to act, to stand, to fight. Never had it felt so _significant._

His father's words echoed in his mind, "Do you, Sesshomaru, have something to protect?"

His brother's answer, years later in the battle against Sounga, "When a demon has someone he wants to protect, his power grows _exponentially_!"

He scoffed. He was _not_ going to protect the miko, he was going to destroy Naraku, a mission he had focused on for years now. He wasn't going to get distracted now and he certainly wasn't going to let her kill him before he got there.

Amber eyes narrowed on the horizon. She sought to defeat Naraku to complete the jewel and she was one step ahead of him, moving at an impressive speed.

"Hn, it will not be enough."

* * *

Her body did not tire. The thought came unbidden sometime at dawn as she had eluded sleep to continue trailing Naraku and killing an onslaught of lesser demons sent to wear her down. He was aware of her presence.

She had suspected such when she fought the demon attacking Sesshomaru's pack. Since then, he had thrown two more jewel-shard enhanced creatures to deter her which only served to confirm her suspicions. Neither lasted very long and in the end, she carried more fragments. When the creatures stopped coming, she guessed he decided not to risk loosing anymore of his precious shards.

He continued to run. She continued to follow in close pursuit.

He seemed to be wise to her enhanced ability to sense him. Not once did he even try to hide his form behind a barrier in the hopes that she would pass him by. He was wise in that he did not underestimate her power. But he did not know everything about her. And he couldn't run forever. She, however, wasn't so sure about that.

Sunlight glinted on white teeth as Kagome grinned at her newest visitor. "Oh, he's really getting desperate now, eh, Kagura?" she giggled.

The wind demoness scowled, her red eyes reproachful. "You should be taking this more seriously," she warned with a hiss, scanning the woods around her anxiously. "This is no game you play, priestess! He _will _kill you! What do you think you can accomplish alone?"

Her cold words were meant to frighten her, to make her reconsider the seemingly suicidal endeavor she had embarked upon. Kagome only felt the warmth of her compassion behind her cold words. She was being sharp because she honestly believed she was putting herself in mortal peril. Kagome smiled warmly.

"Kagura, I have always known your heart's pure intentions. Even before I ascended to this form, I could sense your good will. Come to me, my sister of the wind and let me give you the gift that will set you free."

Kagura stared at the priestess who had one arm extended as if preparing to take her hand and waited for her expectantly. Could she...really? She thought about it. She was powerful. If there was any other than Naraku that could...

She stepped forward, walking briskly until she stood directly in front of the woman. Her hand reached out and Kagura flinched back, her fan between them in seconds.

Kagome's face softened. "Trust me," she pleaded and reached out again, this time with her palm resting over her left breast, where her heart should have been.

Kagome called to the purity of Kagura's heart and felt its weakened cry deep in the clutches of Naraku's grip. Grabbing hold of the connection, she infused it with her strength, her power, her purity until it burned brightly in the flesh of his hands, threatening to purify him along with his remaining jewel shards if he did not relinquish it.

The wind came rushing through the trees along with a resounding roar of outrage from Naraku like the onslaught of a hurricane. The winds swirled around them, suddenly putting them in the eye of a twister as Kagome felt the first pulse of life beneath her hand.

_'Thump, thump...thump, thump...thump, thump...'_

Kagura sucked in a breath in sharp surprise as the feeling rang through her entire being. First one, then two, then another and another until she could feel the blood coursing through her veins. Her chest was still warm where Kagome had touched her.

"Go, Kagura, and live free," Kagome blessed her with another warm smile.

Kagura bowed low before her in silent gratitude. "Please," she whispered. "Please, show the same mercy to my sister. "

Kagome nodded, considering it. "Kanna is still a child. When I bring her soul back from the void, she will be a different kind of demoness, I'm not sure which. But she was never supposed to have been a void, no one is. When she is back to normal, she will be a young girl again. And she will need a mother," she finished significantly, catching her eye.

Kagura nodded as she swallowed. "Send her to me. I will care for her like my own."

Kagome smiled her gratitude. She reached into one of the many hidden pockets of her attire and freed a simple, black twine necklace with a crystal tied to one end. She infused it with a blast of her power before placing it over her neck.

Kagura looked at her questioningly. "You just got your heart back and Naraku definitely hasn't missed the fact that it's gone. This will protect you and your newly acquired heart for the next few days, at least. Shouldn't take me that long," she mused, looking up into the sky calculatingly.

Kagura shuddered.

"One more thing before you go. Is Kohaku still with Naraku?"

The wind demoness nodded sadly. "His shard is defiled and he is haunted with the visions of his murderous past."

Kagome nodded she understood. "Well, time for you to get going! I'll clear you a path," she offered cheerfully as she took up her bow. Stringing an arrow, the wood creaked as she pulled it back as far as it could go, aiming the opposite direction.

The energy that amassed around the shaft before releasing was enough to make Kagura fearful of her life and she still felt a tingle of alarm as she watched it race towards the treeline, making large, circular gap where it burned through trees, foliage and demons alike.

Kagome sliced through another slimy, scaled demon with her glaive, sidestepping the falling remains with grace as she continued onward with her trek. Another came from the left, this one a hairy monstrosity of teeth and claws, which fell in seconds to a concentrated blow of holy energy to its head.

She was getting closer. The air was beginning to take on a sheen of purple mist, the poison of his miasma. Her aura sparkled brilliantly as the gases were purified around her through no conscious effort.

The moment was coming. Her mind filled with images and visions of the man known as Oni Gumo. The murdering thief that desired Kikyo and allowed demons to feast on his soul to acquire power.

Everything Naraku had done had been to exploit the bonds of compassion for another, to shake the feelings of love and trust that had formed between people. He split Inuyasha and Kikyo apart, deceiving them to believe the other had betrayed them. He kidnapped Rin, Sesshomaru's ward. He possessed Kohaku, Sango's brother and made him kill his entire family and fellow slayers in front of his sister. He had resurrected the Band of Seven, who wrought devastation and blood shed through out the land. He had forced Kagura to kill Koga's tribe, using her as a scapegoat for his wrath. He had tried to exploit the love she had for Inuyasha, had tried to make her feel doubts and insecurities from the beginning.

Underneath it all, though, was something else. She gasped as the picture of Naraku holding Kikyo against him that day in battle flashed before her mind's eye. The delicate care with which his arms wound around her form, the way he supported her head carefully in the crook of his elbow...The answer was there, it was there she would find the light.

Perhaps Oni Gumo did not just desire to take Kikyo as his bride. Maybe, he really did love Kikyo but when he gave his soul up to so many demons that hated her in turn, that feeling was buried.

His ability to recognize a bond of love came from this experience. Because somewhere deep inside him, he still harbored that original desire to be with Kikyo.

Kagome smiled. "It will be love that destroys you, in the end."

The winds of redemption followed her every step. The ground beneath her hummed its silent support, shuddering beneath her in reaction to her fury as she slowed to a walk, approaching the position of the vile hanyou through the next clearing. He was finally going to face her.

The wind howled around him and Naraku could nearly taste the scent of her purity burning across his senses long before his eyes laid onto her form.

Storm clouds gathered in the sky above her. The air thickened with humidity and heat from the coming storm as all of Kagome's power reached across the earth, whispering her pleas to the surrounding elements.

There was a great quaking of the earth as the ground beneath Naraku's feet suddenly split asunder, causing him to take to the air to avoid being swallowed into an abyss of darkness.

The wind was against him as well, tearing at his clothes and forcing him back with inconceivable power, the carcasses of lesser demons swirling about in the currents. Their bloodied remains swirled around his barrier and he scowled his disdain at the approaching figure from the shadows, padding silently to his position.

* * *

Kagura, meanwhile, was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially concerning a gift she had being fighting to acquire since the very birth of her existence. She truly would owe the miko her life after this but somehow, knowing what she knew of the woman that traveled with Inuyasha, she did not think that to be such a bad thing. After all, if she had to choose someone to be indebted to, the miko was the only one she knew that could be trusted to keep her honor.

Her feather was light on the wind as she flew away from the storm clouds and towards the rays of morning light. The sight was beautiful. Sparkling water droplets reflected in the clouds and in the sky below her, framed by large, rolling hills of endless green grass. Dark, masculine, sturdy shadows pricked the horizon with trees tripling that of her life span.

She was suddenly ripped out of her admiration for the moment to the rapidly approaching powerful aura of the Western Lord. Steeling her feather against the tide, she held on tight as the ball of light that was Sesshomaru materialized in front of her, the blast of air proceeding him nearly enough to knock her clear off her feather.

"Sesshomaru!" she breathed, clutching her beating heart.

The taiyoukai scanned over the wind witch indifferently, taking in a massive amount of information in a very short amount of time. It was obvious by the sound of her beating heart the woman had attained her freedom and judging from her current state of refinery, she had done so with little effort.

For a moment, he wondered how she had finally managed to accomplish the feat until the sunlight glistened brightly on something near her chest. A jewel, a crystal in its barest form hung around her neck to fall between her breasts. The stone practically pulsed with Kagome's magic and scent.

It was all the information he needed. "Enjoy your new life," he bid her and with a curt nod of his head, had gone.

Kagura smiled wryly, her nerves beginning to settle down. At least he didn't kill her!

* * *

Kagome hesitated just as she came into view, assessing the situation carefully. Clouds of morning fog rolled between them, obstructing their sight but the inner senses of neither party would be fooled. Before her, she could sense Naraku and the jewel shards, along with Kohaku hidden carefully behind him, his own shard fed a steady stream of taint. Kanna stood off the side of him, a white, motionless doll.

She could hear the poisonous insects buzzing in their hives. She could sense in his aura the ability to release thousands if not millions of demons to deter her from this goal. With a light smile, she realized even if he released everything, it would not be enough.

A soft, warm breeze picked up, evaporating the fog between them and their gazes locked across from each other, a glint of sapphire that peered into the glowing coals of bright red.

They were above her slightly, suspended in a barrier within the sky. The ground beneath had suffered a great, cataclysmic divide.

"Naraku," she called fearlessly. "Now is the time. Your redemption is at hand."

His laugh was unbidden, a great, booming thing that echoed across the space between them, mocking her with sharp amusement. She smiled.

"I look forward to it, Ka-go-me," he taunted with a grin, the canine points of his teeth glinting in the sunlight. "But do you really think you can defeat me all on your own? Your friends have abandoned you. Inuyasha, forsaken you for another. You will never live up to Kikyo's potential. If she could not defeat me, what makes you think you can?"

Kagome remembered her training well. She would not give Naraku any reason to believe she was anymore powerful than he suspected her to be. In fact, it was probably best to play along.

Training her expression into one of outrage and fury, she pretended to be hurt and angered by his words. "How dare you! You have no right to speak on such things. You couldn't possibly understand!"

Naraku laughed a predictable, sinister laugh and Kagome felt her skin tingle with anticipation. She felt the whole world poised on the edge of a knife, her control over the elements waiting for the moment she would give the call.

"Oh, but I'm afraid I _do _understand, Kagome. Answer me this: When you told them you were coming to kill me and that you wished to do it alone, did they try to stop you?"

Kagome didn't answer and Naraku took the prevailing silence to mean he had struck a nerve. Plowing forward, he continued trying to wedge of spear of darkness into her heart. "As I suspected. In the end, they were willing to sacrifice you if it meant they could live out their lives in peace. After all you've done for them, not one cared enough to come after you. "

As he spoke, Kagome invoked her power, running a current through her staff as she whispered an ancient language to the world around her.

The clouds thickened above him, the air filling with a sharp anticipation that could only come from rising electrical currents in the coming storm. He looked up away from her at the sudden sound of thunder booming overhead. The clouds grew at a massive speed, rolling across the sky as if guided by a strong magic.

Naraku peered at the woman in front of him carefully now, his guards risen. Someone else peered fiercely back at him, or perhaps it seemed to him that _many _looked back at him through her, many angry, powerful eyes all trained through a pair of deep blue irises.

She was not afraid of him, he realized, not in the slightest. She stared back at him, unmoving, content to merely match his silent gaze. He felt suddenly dissected in front of her. Every part of him was revealed to her and he knew, somehow, that she could see it from the way those eyes flickered slightly on his form.

He was being judged and though he did not understand or recognize those who were doing the judging, he found himself not wishing to disappoint them.

Then, Naraku felt a burning sensation begin to build across his chest. His mind raced to understand the feeling before recognizing the sensation as panic, a human emotion.

Anger swept winds began to bite at their faces, their hair flying about in a mass of black tendrils. Kohaku and Kanna did not move or blink to the scene, their eyes an equal shade of blank.

The Kami stood before Naraku in the form of a young miko who was transformed into a being of light when her heart was purified with the desire to love and protect. Her selflessness made her an eternal conduit for the powers of the Kami to flow through. Their message and will, as well as her's, were exercised through her. The voice, the channel, the muse; Kagome was given the gift of immortality for her pure heart along with a variety of other abilities.

When she spoke next, she spoke with all the combined voices of the Kami as the blue light of her staff seemed to catch on to the rest of her body, causing her entire form to glow brightly.

"Fool!" she accused, pointing a single digit in his direction and he actually flinched from the tremor of her voice, so loud and unearthly. He suddenly felt as if he'd fallen into another realm, looking at her, hearing her voice merged with the voices of so many, it was frightening in a way he never dreamed possible.

Her scowl fell away to reveal a haunting smile and he cringed as she suddenly laughed, the sound reverberating through the earth and air. He felt it rumble through his chest, vibrating his whole body, the sound filling the space around him so completely it was maddening.

She spiked her silver staff into the earth before her as a simultaneous clap of thunder was heard.

He flinched at the bright flash of lightening as it struck her blade and was still recovering from his surprise when his barrier was suddenly accosted with lightening.

He watched, helpless as his barrier was nullified to nothing in seconds. His eyes wide, he immediately tried to invoke the purple tornado that would carry him away but he found he could not move his limbs.

It was the purity, he realized, of her aura. It was so powerful that moving was literally difficult and uncomfortable. It was so powerful it was suffocating his jaki! The flesh of his exterior skin stung against it and the lesser forms of his body began to writhe as waves of the pure light rolled through the air, crashing against him. It was as if he were suspended in an ocean of her power and with each tug pushing and pulling him backward and forward, it became a little more difficult to hold himself together.

The shards in in grasp were threatening to purify, now protected only by the dark barrier of the flesh of his hand. His aura was not enough to overcome and she hadn't even attacked him yet.

As she had him stunned in his current state, she sent thought waves of energy to Kanna and Kohaku, sending her message to them in a silent whisper across the winds of their mind. Her voice was there for only them to hear.

Kohaku's shard was now a sparkling pink and Naraku would have snarled his outrage if it were possible when the boy's body sprung from him suddenly, his speed unhindered to stand at Kagome's side, slightly behind her.

Looking to his left, his eyes widened again as Kanna simply disappeared from thin air, a soft sound filling her disappearance like the sound of a bubble bursting.

Having freed the last two slaves, she was free to do with Naraku what she wished, what the Kami wished.

Naraku could do nothing as there was a great, rending sound, like the earth was splitting in two. The world shook beneath their feet and Kohaku fought to keep his balance against the force.

Kagome raised her staff and the earth rose around Naraku, pulled up by the forces of wind concentrated only on his position. It swirled around him, trapping him a great, black ball of flying debris. With her staff still suspended in the air, she lifted her left hand, her knees bowing to lift her body as she invoked a channel of water from a local stream to pour into the ball, thickening it.

Inside the ball, Naraku's body was being torn apart over and over again by the force of sharp rocks, dirt and water colliding with him at such massive speeds. He fought to reform his face over and over again, trying to ignore the pain for the chance of survival.

Kohaku looked on in awe as the body of the miko began to glow even brighter, her staff beginning to form a large, glowing orb of energy at its tip. She seemed to be concentrating deeply on that, ignoring the way Naraku's flesh began to spin around in pieces with the rest of the dirt, wind and water and instead focused all her attention on making the orb of light grow in diameter.

The orb burned brighter and brighter with an otherworldly glow that reminded him of fire but his training, experience and instinct led him to believe it was something much, much more powerful. He could sense the holy power on the air and knew that great forces were at work within the priestess.

The orb was released with a sudden thrust of her staff and Kohaku watched in fascination as the light collided with the orb housing Naraku. The thing ignited in the air, black and blue fighting for dominance.

Kagome willed the flames to reach his core, separating demon from human by purifying all his demonic attachments until all that remained was a faint trace of his jaki, just enough for him to keep trying to pull himself back together; enough for him to survive through the entirety of her vision. She wanted him to feel with his human heart the pain he had inflicted in his lifetime.

When the flames hit, Naraku was accosted with visions, feelings and memories he fought to withstand. A heart wrenching pain occurred within him and he suddenly felt broken and hallow. Kikyo's face, warm, alive and smiling, leaning over to pat his head with a damp cloth, offering him soggy bread, gently tending to his many burns. The compassionate, sympathetic way she gazed at him against the fire's light, knowing he would never move from his position again.

He had been a man moved by the depth of her sympathy and kindness. He had been attracted to her pure, loving soul and had coveted that love for himself. But he would never receive love from anyone in his life, not from her, not from his parents, no one.

Time moved forward in the vision and he watched the creature he had become tear down the woman he loved. He watched his own claws sink into the flesh of her shoulder, bringing forth the fount of her life's blood on his hands.

It seemed he had been so jealous of others that experienced love that he couldn't help but try to tear them down when he became Naraku. He watched agonizingly as every victim he ever made suffer came before his eyes, causing him to feel all the pain, fear and sorrow their families and loved ones felt.

Kagome dropped her staff and the earth and water in the orb promptly fell to the ground in a giant, muddy crater. The light around him remained as Naraku slowly reformed his body, only to begin screaming the instant his mouth materialized. His face was twisted into a distorted expression of terror, agony, rage and sadness as he continued to scream, feeling his heart twist and shatter into the grieving, broken hearts of thousands and thousands of people.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	7. Prayer

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

__**AN: Chapter inspired by Disturbed: Prayer  
**

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Kagome felt a massive pressure in her senses and probed it lightly with her aura. It brushed against her's in response and she smiled to herself. Sesshomaru had arrived.

As he materialized behind her, Kagome paid him no mind and instead moved in on her opponent. With a wave of her hand, the light surrounding and torturing Naraku vanished and his body almost plummeted into the crater Kagome had created until a quick flick of her wrist hit him with enough wind to land on the ground at her feet.

He fell face down before her, naked, the flesh of his face pressed painfully into the ground. His body was mostly that of a regular hanyou now, she mused. She had purified all but a small amount of his jaki. He was more human than demon in this form but he still retained the spider shaped burn mark across his back. Which meant he could feel.

Even without the forced visions, he remained lying on the ground before her, pitifully sprawled at her mercy.

But Kagome was not interested in mercy just yet. She kneeled down and rolled him over, ignoring his pathetic whines of protest. She covered his eyes with the palm of her hand and showed him his desire for Kikyo as a selfish, monstrous thing. She taunted him with the reality he had refused to accept as a mortal, the reality that Kikyo never loved him and never would.

She showed him the wonderful lives she was going to give to Kohaku, Kikyo and Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku, Kagura, Kanna, Kouga and Sesshomaru. She showed him how she would erase his past mistakes and pain, righting with ease the terrible wrong of his entire existence.

His body thrashed wildly on the ground as she held the light firmly against his eyes, forcing him to see, restraining his limbs when he fought to get away from her. He screamed his torment, denying her, denying the visions of what he was.

As she tried to force him to see and accept how pathetic he had been, his mind tried to tune her out by thinking of other things, anything. But all that came to his defense were the sounds of so much suffering, so much pain. The faces of a thousand different scenarios. He could hear their accusations, feel the grief clawing away at everything necessary inside him from the inside out.

Sesshomaru watched in astonishment as the miko pulled the fiend into her lap, still holding a glowing hand over his eyes, like a mother would scold a screaming toddler. Judging from the pain he seemed to be in, whatever she was doing was torture enough.

A golden light erupted from her chest, filling the clearing with a brilliant warmth. Naraku felt the tears coming unbidden now, in rivers down his face. The shame of the act in no way compared to the despair he was feeling, the regret, the remorse. Then, the warmth came and his only thought was the desire to fall into it forever.

He wept further as he realized she was telling him he did not deserve to be reincarnated. His soul deserved to be destroyed.

The visions continued, paralyzing him now. He saw himself adorned in the baboon pelt he so frequented, decimating villages, slaughtering children, raising the dead to use as puppets, manipulating kingdoms. Bloodshed. Thievery. Even a few rapes, just for the fun of it. Just about every single dark deed in the book, he had accomplished.

He had poisoned minds and hearts with a great ease, ever the elegant speaker, offering comfort as a down payment for the suffering and death he would inevitably inflict.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)  
**


	8. Coming undone

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

__**AN: Chapter inspired by Korn: Coming Undone  
**

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Sesshomaru stared down at the pathetic form of the hanyou at his feet. Kagome had finally released him, backing away so he could carry out the final sentence but not before she had drained his ability to fight by breaking his spirit and soul like a twig. He shuddered thinking how easy it was for her to do so, though he knew this justice was well deserved.

Naraku struggled to breathe, his lungs simply refusing to cooperate with his body's demands. He pondered that it could be because he had never felt such revulsion and disgust with the being he had become, the person he could now see with perfect clarity.

He lay on his belly before Sesshomaru, greasy, black locks of hair a tangled mass around him, without the strength to even lift his head in order to meet the eyes of his death.

The truth of it all was stagnant and ripe on the air, threatening to close his airways with the shock of his suddenly altered reality. A flash of memory showed him a young, human boy around the age of four running along the riverside, his clothes in tatters and his face dirty. When he smiled at the fish he tried so desperately to run alongside of, it revealed a set of rotting teeth too grotesque to the naked eye to perceive without grimacing.

It saw him being tossed out of homes and villages, orphaned and unable to find anyone compassionate enough to care.

The boy had no family or friends; he had no skills or trade. He quickly learned that the best way to survive was to steal and the better he was at getting away, the better his life would become. Otherwise, he would starve, or freeze in the winter months.

Somehow, Naraku knew that it had been that moment in his life, the moment he chose not to starve, that had changed irrevocably the person he would become. Somewhere along the way, it was all connected with the man who made the choice to hand his soul over to demons.

The belief that grew solid in his adulthood that the world owed him everything for the role in fate he was destined to play. Poor, unwanted, uncared for and discontent, a malice and resentment festered within the heart of Oni Gumo.

He had failed his life as a thief and lay burned and dying in the cave when Kikyo found him. The desperate want and desire for her gave him the drive and courage he needed to accept the spider's offer, the spider who was currently the last living demon apart of him.

Even now that his human side had grown to dominate his body, he could feel the alternate personality inside of himself, the consciousness of the spider youkai, the one who had slain Kikyo, possessed Kohaku and all the other horrible things he writhed in shame for.

But thanks to the miko, Kagome, he was able to hold off the encroaching force, his demonic half still subdued by the purity she emanated. For the first time since his creation, his humanity was allowed to _feel _for what he had done and what he regretted doing. He had come to answer for his sins.

As he tried forcing another breath into his lungs, he felt something hinder his airway and coughed hard into the ground. A warm, coppery taste filled his mouth as the blood began to trickle down his face and into the dirt.

Sesshomaru scoffed in disgust, backing away so the fiend could not soil his attire. His voice was a hiss of cruelly punctuated words, firmly perpetuating his disgust and loathing for the creature with each perfectly formed syllable. "You are truly pathetic, Naraku. How could one such as you possibly think that you could ever hope to match my power? You're nothing more than a useless pile of cast off demons, a monstrosity of collected vermin. Know your rightful place."

The pain was bitter sweet on his ego, the words rattling around in his being, striking blows to his most vulnerable areas. He _was _pathetic. He would never live up to match Sesshomaru in power. He knew every word was completely and irrevocably true. He reveled in the pain, like he had reveled in the act of inflicting it. Only this time, it was his punishment, his recompense. He longed to get what he deserved, to pay this looming debt he had amassed against the universe. It had finally had enough and risen up against him. The act was soul shattering and he desperately wished for an end to it all.

Overhead, the sound of a fire cat growling announced the presence of the Inu tachi as Kikyo and Inuyasha came sprinting onto the scene full stride, a blur of red and white fabric.

Kilala made for Kohaku who was standing silently off to the side watching the scene carefully, his blade poised and ready to strike in case Naraku turned out not to be as defenseless as he appeared. At the familiar sound of the fire neko, his face snapped in her direction and his gaze locked with his sister's relieved and concerned almond eyes.

"Kohaku," he heard her murmur softly, her lips framing his name so that even from a distance he could tell what she was saying. His heart leapt in his chest.

"Ane-we," he answered and immediately sprang to her position.

She broke out into tears as he stood beneath them, eagerly waiting for her even as Kilala descended. As soon as her massive paws had touched the earth, they were embracing, smiling and crying against one another.

Kagome's light had opened Kohaku's memories to him but in the process, had added several more. He bore witness to numerous moments that everyone in their group participated in trying to protect him. The monk, the hanyou, Kagome herself, Sesshomaru, Rin and Kikyo. In was there he discovered the self worth he needed and hope that would give him the strength to accept what happened and forgive himself.

So many people wanted him to live, wanted him to overcome but the most important part about it all was that his sister would still want him, would still love him, just the same as she did before he had murdered their family. He had thought it impossible, but he knew after witnessing Kagome's visions beyond a doubt that it was so.

Kilala licked the side of his face and he patted her head affectionately in greeting, having sorely missed his old companion.

Miroku smiled at their warm reunion, happy that his intended would have her brother back. He gave them a moment before standing, directing his attention forward.

Sango and Kohaku turned their attention, finally, to the others who had gathered around the dying Naraku.

Call it instinct, call it a universal understanding. Sesshomaru locked eyes with all those now standing in a circle around their target. With one, curt nod he turned his back and took several strides before turning back around with Bakusaiga drawn, ready to strike.

The gesture was understood by all as each occupant took their position at a ranged distance, forming a wide circle. Kagome stood at the head, her staff glowing and concentrating her holy power to the tip of her blade.

Sesshomaru stood to her left, sword raised and glowing bright green with Kohaku next to him, his sickle chain poised and ready in his hands. Shippo followed, his tiny hands crossed to prepare conjuring his foxfire.

To her right stood Inuyasha, Tetsusaiga drawn into its Adamant form, the diamond surface sparkling brilliantly in the afternoon sunlight. Next to him, Kikyo stood with her bow drawn. Her training as a miko urged her to concentrate her aura on the shaft. It managed to glow a slight red and she wondered what the results would be of her new hanyou powers. Even she did not know what to expect when she loosed her arrow.

Sango stood to her right, Hiraikotsu raised next to Miroku, who joined the circle next to Shippo.

The wind picked up, stirred by the heavy shifting of power in the clearing and blowing around the occupants with a determined aggression.

Naraku gazed at his enemies gathered around him. He felt their powers build and his human heart thrummed its anticipation. Even the demon inside him had gone quiet at the terror filled realization that they were both about to be obliterated forever.

Kagome raised her staff well above her head, channeling all the elements fused with her purity and holy power. Lightening struck the tip of her blade, surrounding her with blue light until it bled from her eyes.

Sesshomaru's voice boomed through the clearing, louder than anyone had expected. "Strike!"

Light. It was suddenly all around him. A thousand different shades accosting him from several different directions.

There was the silver glint of the Adamant spears hurling towards him, an angry red arrow, a large, beige splotch of spinning mass that was the slayer's boomerang, the sickle as it flew expertly at his throat, several glowing, white sutras packed with the monk's power, A cloud of disorienting teal that was the kit's foxfire.

Burning brightly to encompass it all was the green shafts of Sesshomaru's power that struck down from the clouds themselves, pummeling the earth around him. Kagome's blue ball of energy flew through the middle of Sesshomaru's attack and their powers twisted around each other like blue and green lightening, both from the earth, both connected with the pure light of the universe as sentient beings.

Sesshomaru was of the purest blood, immune to holy power because his race was gifted with the purity of the Kami. Kagome was blessed in the same way. One human, one demon, blessed equally. The energies merged, both helping to propel the other towards him.

His eyes landed on Kikyo, looking in no way how he remembered. She scowled at him disdainfully beneath a shrine of white bangs, a pair of unfamiliar amber eyes hardened with retribution.

In slow motion, he saw Kohaku's curved blade close to slicing his throat open and he knew that just a slight tug on the chain would take his head with it.

Sango's Hiraikotsu tore through his torso at the same moment that her brother's sickle sliced clean through his neck, taking his head clean off his shoulders as he yanked the chain 's sutras attached themselves painfully to various parts of his body, stunning him with sharp blasts of purity.

He felt his body begin to break apart. The feeling of his head being disconnected was not a new one to him but the sensation was alarming, all the same. This time, he knew there would be no coming back together. Time slowed as the last of his flesh was pierced and impaled with hundreds of sharp, diamond spears.

The green and blue light was blinding. It would be the last to reach him by mere moments but they ticked by so slowly to Naraku that whole experience could have taken years.

The ground broke apart beneath him and he felt the energy concentrate on his form as his flesh began disintegrating.

His last thoughts were that he had wasted his entire life feeling pity for himself, which disabled him from ever considering the thoughts and feelings of others. His selfishness, while enabling him to survive, mutated his soul and destiny, guiding him onto the path that led to his deformation when all along all he ever really desired was to love and be loved in return.

All the malice, hate and greed he amassed in his life as a human and demon combined did nothing to save him from his shame now. The impenetrable wall of guilt, sorrow, regret and heartache shattered any chance of feeling those things again.

Sesshomaru and Kagome's light consumed him, finally, the last of his body drifting into ash on the wind.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	9. H

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

**AN: Chapter inspired by Tool: H**

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A resounding silence permeated the clearing where Naraku fought his last battle. Not even a hungry crow called overhead, though they had begun to litter the trees, waiting patiently to feast on the bloody carcasses left behind.

Slowly, the only standing occupants around the largest area of devastation began to move inward, towards a scorched, smoking crater in the center.

A pile of gray, ashy remains threatened to blow away on the wind, revealing the slightest glimmer of a purified Shikon shard.

Kagome set aside her staff and bow as she knelt to the ground before her. Dainty fingers plucked the shard carefully away from the ashes. The stone glimmered at her powerful touch.

She then rose and pulled the nearly completed fragment from under the black slayer gear at her chest. Her hands closed over both objects as she shut her eyes, her lips moving in a silent prayer.

There was a flash of light as the fragments merged, missing all but a few shards. Kohaku's and Kouga's.

Miroku pulled the beads from his hand to find the curse completely gone, leaving the milky white skin of his palm in its place. With a large, suddenly joyous grin, he took Sango into a fierce hug. His lips lowered to her ear to whisper sensuously, "Are you ready fulfill your promise to me, my love? This one has waited _far _too long to take what is his..."

As she blushed and gasped from the comment, he took her mouth in a passionate kiss, conveying all he felt into the gesture. She melted into his embrace and when his fingers slid down the expanse of her buttocks to grip them suggestively as he subtly ground into her, shielded from the others by the many folds of his purple robes, she did nothing to stop him, not even when she felt the tips of his fingers boldly caress the slit of her sex through her slayer gear.

She shuddered against him hotly as they pulled apart and everyone thought her scarlet blush simply evidence of their first kiss together. If only they knew...

Inuyasha and Kikyo equally embraced, both ecstatic to have avenged their past adversary together so that they could begin looking forward to the lives they had to share with one another, the lives that had so long ago been stolen from them and almost succeeded in tearing them apart forever.

Both suddenly cast disapproving glances at the slayer and monk and Kagome followed their scrutiny to find Sesshomaru glaring equally at the couple. She put two and two together as she guessed they could scent their arousal. She could tell by the way their auras interacted with each other but she imagined smelling the evidence had to be a much worse way of figuring it out. She giggled.

Sango blushed hotly while Miroku smirked lecherously.

Kagome smiled her happiness for all of them, grinning at the kit on her shoulder while she basked in the moment, loving them and the joy she was able to bring. Her eyes were shining, her expression radiant with relief and happiness. "It is done," she finally managed, hardly believing it herself.

Her eyes found Sesshomaru's and she froze in the intensity of his honeycomb gaze. She did not relinquish her smile and after a moment, for a second so fleeting Kagome thought she imagined it altogether, one side of his mouth quirked up into a smirk. The other side, which was facing the others, remained in a scowl while the side only she could see was smiling in a slightly victorious way, as if he knew something she didn't.

Kagome's eyes widened, her face suddenly flushed. It was unnerving. It was frightening. It was...exciting and flattering...

Overhead, the sound of a hawk crying made everyone turn their gazes to the sky. A brilliant, graceful looking bird circled over them with a wingspan of nearly 10 feet, its long body casting daunting shadows on the ground below it.

Kagome marveled that she had never seen one so colossal or so beautifully colored that wasn't demonic. It was gold on ivory but the colors shimmered as if they were truly made of the metal and stone, catching the orange, setting light of the sun on the feathers' surface and glinting brightly.

Sesshomaru took more interest in the bird than anyone, unexpectedly striding forward until he stood poised directly beneath it, his forearm raised in an open invitation to land.

Everyone watched curiously as the hawk immediately descended, not hesitating to settle on his arm. Sesshomaru seemed to be fiddling with something on its foot they hadn't noticed. Once it was gathered in the palm of his hand, he reached into the yellow obi around his waist and freed what Kagome thought was a cracker. He fed it to the bird, who gave a thankful screech before taking back to the skies.

Turning his attention back to his palm, he unrolled a tiny, miniature scroll that carried a message scrawled hastily in black ink.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome called timidly. "What has happened?" she asked, fearing the worst if a message was delivered to him in such a way.

His indifferent mask wavered at her question as he regarded her a moment, seemingly debating whether he should divulge the information he had acquired.

Finally, he said, "They have taken the West."

There was a collective gasp of surprise followed by a moment of awkward consideration.

Inuyasha surprised everyone by stepping forward. "Who has taken our father's lands?" he inquired gruffly, his countenance swearing retribution.

The pale, clawed hand holding the letter dropped to his side as the taiyoukai seemed to focus on a point far in the distance in front of him. The sun was setting in the West at that moment and the light from the eerily red sky cast fierce shadows across his features, making him seem dark and more sharply defined than before. Finally, in a quiet, reserved voice, he said "The Karyu, or fire dragons and their king, Seiryu, Lord of the Eastern lands."

"The... Kar-yu?" Inuyasha tried the word on his tongue for the first time. "What do they want with the Western lands?"

Sesshomaru scoffed. "What does anyone want? Power. Wealth. Influence. The opportunity to expand ones' empire is a tempting one."

"Are you going to fight them?" Kagome asked quietly, her brow furrowed with concern. They had only just defeated Naraku, after all...

"I must," he answered, his voice soft and firm at the same time, his resignation to uphold his father's legacy evident in his tone.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. "Keh, not like they're gonna get very far. The guards will kill them before they even-"

"Did you not just hear what I said, brother?" Sesshomaru hissed, his voice raising slightly. "They have taken the Western lands. That means they have breached the walls of my fortress, overwhelmed my soldiers and have even taken my ward and retainer as hostages. I do not even know how many have survived; the general that sent this message made it very clear it was the last task he would complete for me in this world."

He sighed deeply then, his hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration in a rare divergence of his own inner turmoil. Finally, he looked up, meeting Inuyasha's gaze once more. "I may well be the last opposing faction against this army, if what this source says is correct."

Inuyasha flinched, hearing the depth of the devastation. He knew all too well why his brother was suddenly so bitter. He had failed to protect his people, his soldiers, his ward. He knew what that felt like, having lost Kikyo and nearly his own pack on several occasions. The thought that his best was some times not enough to protect the people he loved was a hard one to chew and as strong as Sesshomaru was, it was inevitable that one day, he, too, would have to learn that lesson.

Feeling the weight of his own responsibility, he stood up a little straighter as he approached his only living kin. To the absolute shock of everyone present, the red-clad inuyoukai bowed at Sesshomaru's feet, one hand over his heart.

"I wish to save our father's lands. I wish to do all in my power to defeat these 'Karyu,' as you called them. I am a hanyou no longer. As your brother, will you allow me the honor of fighting by your side?"

Miroku nearly cried. His chest puffed out in a swell of pride, knowing that some of his tact had finally rubbed off on the once-gruff hanyou. Sango, knowing the cause of said behavior, simply huffed in amusement at her intended, smiling broadly.

Sesshomaru acknowledged his brother in a new light. He was now a fully blooded Inu like himself and as such, he and his mate were a force to be reckoned with on their own. With the monk, demon slayer and priestess, the six of them might just be enough, if they played their cards right.

Never one to back down from an offer than was a great convenience and feeling some what compelled to complete the promise he had given their father, Sesshomaru swallowed his pride. One clawed hand closed over the hilt of Bakusaiga.

Inuyasha looked up at his brother as he heard the _shing _of the blade being pulled from its sheath. Sesshomaru sliced his palm deeply with his father's fang, holding it out expectantly to his brother as if they would shake hands.

"Blood of my blood."

Inuyasha stood and drew Tetsusaiga, slashing at his own palm brutally before clasping his brother's offered hand. Their blood mixed with a searing white light and when it faded, their cuts were healed, leaving a red crescent moon in the palm of each hand.

"A brother's mark," Sesshomaru answered his unasked question. "Our's was never completed. You are now my second in command, Inuyasha."

Kikyo gulped, her eyes wide, knowing just how serious this was. She nervously tucked a strand of shock-white hair behind her pointed ear.

Kagome couldn't help beaming from ear to ear. She had invested a fair amount of time in trying to push the two brothers together, once it became clear that Sesshomaru didn't truly wish to kill his younger sibling. The significance of the moment was not lost on anyone present and everyone knew what an honor it was that they might bare witness to the moment that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru finally set aside their difference and officially joined forces.

Inuyasha stood tall as he came to stand beside his sibling, feeling compassion and respect for him like he'd never known. His heart soared at the thought that for the first time, the stoic demon lord had actually called him by the name 'brother.' Not only that, but he had just been given the highest position save for his own seat as Lord and that of the Lady, whenever she might come along.

As the significance of the moment deteriorated, Sesshomaru inclined his head toward his younger sibling. "You realize, of course, this means you will have to work on your grammar...and etiquette?"

Kikyo, Kagome and Sango broke down into giggles at the comment, hiding their faces in their sleeves. Miroku and Shippo smirked their amusement while Inuyasha's cheeks flamed.

Sesshomaru turned his head to the sky as his youkai cloud formed beneath his feet to gracefully lift him into the air. Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku mounted Ki-la-la and Shippo perched on Kikyo's shoulder where she rode on Inuyasha's back.

As everyone was leaving, they were halted by a small coughing sound near the ground. Everyone turned to see a blushing Kagome standing awkwardly by herself, not quite knowing what to do.

While they all knew that she could run faster than Miroku and Inuyasha as a hanyou, there was no way she was going to keep up with three full demons in flight and Kilala.

The fact was that Inuyasha couldn't carry two women, Kilala couldn't carry more than three people at a time and Sesshomaru... well, that was not even worth considering. She felt the tears gathering in her eyes and just knew if she spoke, her voice would break so she remained silent.

The moment upset her more than she thought it would. In that instant, she realized how far apart from their lives she was now. She didn't fit anymore. It was a painful epiphany, one that made her feel hallow and alone. Now, more than ever, she realized her ties to her friends were based solely on her responsibilities to the jewel. When the jewel was no more...there was no more reason for them to be together. Sure, she loved her friends and they loved her, but she was wise enough to realize that loving someone wasn't always enough to ensure you would actually see them from time to time.

The silence stretched on and every second that passed seemed to rip her heart a little more while she tried to wear a brave face.

Sesshomaru caught on to the predicament immediately but hesitated with the inevitable. The miko made him... feel things that he wasn't used to feeling and he didn't particularly have any control over the sensations when they happened. They just came out of nowhere, even when she wasn't showing him visions or memories.

Not only that, but when the air had thickened with the sweet scent of her appreciation for him and her aura opened in a silent invitation, there had been a moment where he found himself tempted to act on his baser impulses. Shocked at his lack of control, he had decided to keep his distance from the curious, powerful onna to reign in some semblance of order over his senses and cling to whatever remaining discipline he had left. What he found, though, allowed a closer inspection of who she was as a person and the answers he uncovered only asked more questions. His curiosity grew and so did his attention.

But this was not the time for such thoughts, as his ward was in danger and possibly all his lands laid to waste in the time he had already spent neglecting them. Without a word, he descended swift and silent to swoop the tiny woman up into his arms. His speed was such that the others only made out their blurred forms flying far ahead of them.

Kagome was silent for much of the flight, slightly daunted by their distance from the ground and the rate at which they were flying through the air. Sesshomaru had his arm around her waist, her body meshed into his side. She couldn't help the way her breasts pressed against him or the way her hair took to the wind behind her to twist and dance with his own, threatening to tangle in it. Her cheeks flamed her embarrassment. She felt like every bit of contact they shared was a direct violation to his proximity and that she might soon be killed for it should he grow impatient with her.

"I'm...I'm sorry," she muttered weakly, her face a nice, deep shade of scarlet. She shifted against him for the twentieth time, freezing when she noticed his gaze had, at some point, focused on her.

"What is the meaning of your discomfort?" he inquired with a regal tilt to his brow.

"Huh? Oh, well I...uh...I'm sorry for being so...umm...closetoyou," she stammered, speeding through the last words so softly and quick he could barely understand what she said. Though he did, he couldn't resist making her say it again and enjoying the discomfort it would no doubt bring her.

"You're going to have to speak louder. I couldn't hear you," he explained, holding back the smirk he felt when her face went an even darker shade of red.

She took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm sorry for being so close to you," she finally managed, her bangs falling into her eyes as she said it.

Sesshomaru felt a pang of regret for teasing her. It was her modesty and insecurity that made her feel the way she did. He was suddenly shocked that he understood her so well, deciding it had to be the visions she showed him days ago now. Somewhere along the way he had unlocked this understanding of a mortals' emotions and consequentially, the emotions he also occasionally felt. He was suddenly grateful to her for that revelation but didn't know how to begin voicing such appreciation, so he opted to remain silent. Surely, she was already aware of the depth of her gift to him.

Without warning, he felt the need to reassure her insecurity and tightened his grip on her waist a bit more. "Your proximity is not uncomfortable."

She stared at him, eyes wide, disbelieving the words he had just said. Sensing her astonishment, he chuckled and she felt her jaw drop at the strange, deep sound as it vibrated through her. She couldn't find anything else to say and Sesshomaru, enjoying her embarrassment, decided to take it even further.

"You have a uniquely appealing scent, Kagome," he confessed, his mind filled with silent laughter at the way her body went rigid in his grasp. He purposefully used her name for the first time on this occasion and the affect was well worth the wait. Her mouth fell open to gape like a fish as her cheeks flamed. Her little heart hammered in her chest and he couldn't suppress the word as it entered his mind, unbidden: _'Cute.' _She truly was entertaining to be around.

She couldn't believe it. He had used her name! She didn't even think he _knew _her name! As if it wasn't surprising enough for him to say more than two words, he had given her two whole sentences! What's more, he _complimented _her! What was going on?

Feeling flattered beyond belief and more than a little embarrassed, she managed a quiet 'thank you,' oblivious to the way his lips turned up into a smirk as her bangs were currently shielding her face.

Thinking that she would remain silent for a while, he wasn't expecting it when she suddenly turned slightly in his grasp to look up at him. "And thank you for this," she gestured to the clouds at their feet. "I honestly didn't know what I was going to do back there..."

"It is of no consequence," he insisted, implying that she need not feel indebted to him. "This one is honored that he has been given the chance to repay some of the debt I seem to keep acquiring from you."

"It's not debt!" she exclaimed abruptly, taken off guard by his playful expression. Catching on, she giggled and decided to play along. "Well, you could employ me with your staff, give me a job and a place to live," she offered jokingly, giggling at the end of her sentence. "Of course, that would mean putting up with my human stench, my screechy voice, the risk of being purified or-"

"I'll do it."

Kagome's head snapped to his in surprise. "Wh-What? No, I mean, I wasn't seriously just-"

"All the same. If you desire a home, mine is open to you."

Flabbergasted, Kagome was once again at a loss for words as she floundered for what to say, all the while looking at him as if she were trying to gauge his level of sincerity. His eyes met her's again and she was taken aback by the intensity, the sincerity of his gaze. He was serious.

"Why?" She couldn't help asking. This was Sesshomaru, after all. "Is it what I did for Rin? Your arm? Sesshomaru, you owe me nothing. Please, don't feel compelled to burden yourself with my needs."

"Quite the contrary," he insisted vaguely and Kagome tilted her head in puzzlement at the declaration. "My fortress is well equipped and sized to accommodate fifty and two hundreds."

"Two hundred-fifty!" Kagome exclaimed, "That's alot!"

"Indeed."

"Well, if you're positive it isn't going to bother or burden you and you swear that if you later decide it does that you'll tell me...I guess after the jewel is completed and dealt with, I'll be coming there."

"Hnn," Sesshomaru answered, feeling pleased with himself and approving of her decision.

Kagome tried to imagine what life would be like living at Sesshomaru's fortress and found her thoughts leading inevitably back to the current situation. What would they find when they got there?

Feeling curious, she finally had to ask,"So what's up with this Seiryu guy? Do you know him at all?"

He cringed inwardly and for a moment she thought he wouldn't answer her. In truth, Sesshomaru did consider not answering, so greatly did he not want to delve into this part of his history. But there was something to be said about the woman's remarkable intuition to sense these things and she had done an uncanny job of asking all the right questions in the past. Now was no different.

Perhaps he was moved by her compassion, once again admiring her ability to see so clearly into the hearts of others. Either way, he found himself answering her question with an easy elaboration that he couldn't explain.

"Years ago, we might have been brothers. But the bitterness between our parents and surrounding families was too great to over come, in the end. I was younger then and he was engaged to marry one of my cousins. The mating was supposed to ally our family and unite our lands.

"Every summer for nearly a decade, he spent at the Western Citadel. The arrangement was so he could spend time with Ponyo, my cousin and his intended. As a result, we spent a significant amount of time in the others' company." 

Kagome nodded she understood, her attention undivided. She couldn't believe the same demon that he had been so close to was responsible for taking over his lands and killing his people. 

"The night before their wedding was to take place, Ponyo was poisoned. The perpetrator was never discovered but our family strongly believed that Seiryu and possibly his family was involved."

Kagome scowled. "That's terrible! Why did your family believe they were guilty?"

Sesshomaru inclined his head. "The poison that was used is incredibly rare. It is only found in the birthing womb of a Karyu dragon. That, alone, was enough to cause suspicion. Then, there was the matter of her substantial dowry. It is demon tradition that in the event of a death, the dowry will still go to the intended's family as a way of compensating them for the loss of a bride. The dowry alone was enough to tempt even the wealthiest of youkai in society.

"And Karyus are not known for procreating with others outside of their own species. When Seiryu mated one of his own kind barely a fortnight after Ponyo's death, we took it as confirmation of their involvement."

Kagome nodded her understanding. "I'll say... poor Ponyo. And her parents, just thinking about what they went through is heartbreaking."

"Hnn. They never bore another pup and died soon after."

They flew in silence for a moment before the smell of salt hit his nose. A tremor went through the woman's tiny body and his eyes widened as he realized she was crying.

Kagome felt the slightest touch beneath her chin as Sesshomaru guided her face with a single claw to look at him. Her sapphire eyes sparkled with tears that shined like diamonds against her smooth skin.

Her plight moved him, that she would allow herself to grieve over something so detached from her own life. She didn't know anyone he had spoken of in the story, had never laid eyes on them and yet she felt for them as if their pain had been dealt directly to her heart.

"You would cry for this?" he asked her simply.

She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "It's just so sad, you know?"

He raised a brow. He _did _know.

The movement was suddenly out of his control. His lips took her's in a soft, yet demanding way. Her taste was sweet and his tongue swept out hungrily to dance in the cavern of her mouth, sampling the nectar that was _Kagome_.

His fingers were suddenly running through her hair, holding the back of her neck firmly to him to prolong the moment. Her soft lips moved against his and she moaned quietly as his tongue explored her mouth, tilting her head to allow better access.

Deadly sharp fangs grazed softly over the tender flesh of her lips and tongue, the sensation thrilling her. As she pulled away for breath, she couldn't help but notice the way his markings had darkened to a royal purple, thickening in their width slightly. The amber of his eyes had darkened to a golden luster and though his face remained as difficult as ever to read, she could now see a warmth in the way he regarded her, his brow softening slightly.

Her body ached and throbbed in an alien way. Mortified, she realized there was a strange, warm wetness gathering in between her legs and she clenched her thighs together in an effort to cut off the sensation, finding it only became worse. Her aura pulsed around them and began to sparkle.

He felt her aura merging with his again only this time, he was prepared for the barrage on his senses and managed to maintain their current flight path. As he breathed in, however, his head inclined to take in the newest scent on the air appreciatively.

Kagome's eyes widened as she watched his maroon lined lids flutter closed, his nose inclined slightly to take a long, pleasurable scent of the air. Her cheeks flushed with color as she felt his grip on her body tighten considerably, the tips of deadly claws just barely skimming the fabric of her attire.

Her scent enveloped him, awakening him to the amount of moisture accumulating between her thighs. His mouth watered at the image of his head buried between them, the thought of his manhood sliding into that slick crevice.

His lids opened to half mass, peaking at her beneath a now-blood red line seductively, his lips slightly parted to reveal the tips of his fangs. She watched them elongate as his own aura pulsed powerfully against her, rising up to meet her own and blending with it.

Her head fell back as all things _Sesshomaru _overcame her. Her mouth watered at the heady, masculine scent he emanated, the strength he carried. His own arousal for her pressed against her senses and she moaned against the intense need he felt to take her.

Little did she know, the action of tilting her head back had pushed her breasts forward and he focused hard on keeping them in the air as his arousal increased tenfold. The smell of his own blood drifted to his nose as he acknowledged the pain surging through his bottom lip. Sharp fangs pierced into his skin as he fought the mental image of her sprawled beneath him, taking him deep into her most sacred of places. Those full breasts, unbound to his eyes and lips.

An involuntary tremble crept up his spine. His urge to mate this creature was staggering.

He managed to take her hand, effectively gathering her attention. "You must stop," he insisted and she just barely caught the pleading tone to his voice. "Or I will take you down to the ground and rut you where ever we land, prying eyes be damned," he growled the vow against her lips and the sound rumbled through his chest to vibrate into her's.

There was no doubting the seriousness of his words. The thought thrilled her, but she would much rather not have her first time be displayed for all her friends to see.

Suddenly, he sensed her embarrassment plummet as a truly immense trepidation rose in its place. Her aura withdrew from his immediately and he spared a glance at her expression to find her face had gone pale, her eyes wide.

Concerned, his arm tightened around her waist, bringing her closer to him. "What do you sense?"

She shook her head back and forth wildly and he felt real alarm at the way her usually bright eyes were wide with fear. "Take us down. We need to go down...now."

Sesshomaru would have argued that his fortress was just ahead but her expression warned him against it. Without a word, he descended, the tachi following him into a small grove of trees on the outskirts of his land.

He did not relinquish his hold on her waist once they were on the ground, concerned that her expression was still filled with shock. After a moment, she seemed to come around to herself again and patted his arm reassuringly to tell him she was ok.

The others had only just dismounted and approached them when she turned in their direction. "We have to walk from here."

The declaration was understood as everyone was immediately put on their guard while they proceeded to follow Sesshomaru.

Several strides down the trail revealed a clearing up ahead where the trees suddenly just stopped. There was literally a line from where the forest ended and a black, desert-like terrain began.

Kagome winced at the devastation. The ground had been scorched, ancient trees fallen to ash and still smoldering around them. As she took her first crunchy step on the terrain, her entire body felt the shock of it and with a jolt, she stumbled backwards. The pain of the earth was immense and it cried out the injustice to her, giving her small glimpses into what commenced.

Sesshomaru caught her by the shoulders as her knees made to give out. The group cast concerned glances her way as she concentrated on righting herself. She muttered her apologies distractedly, still trying to focus on the land and what it was telling her. Something was up ahead, something dark and terrible. "We must move forward," she said, out of breath from the premonition. "Everyone be on your guard. I'm not sure what we're up against here, but it isn't good."

Sesshomaru nodded curtly. "Are you well, Kagome? What ails you?"

"The earth is in so much pain here. They burned everything," she explained darkly, her brow furrowing with sympathy. "I'm well enough to continue, just be aware that what's coming is far worse than anything we've seen so far."

The taiyoukai inclined his head in a silent gesture that said he understood before turning in the opposite direction and continuing on the trail. The others followed silently, their steps long since trained in the art of stealth.

* * *

**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	10. Deliver Us

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

* * *

The tachi crept silently through the desolate, burning hills leading up to Sesshomaru's fortress. The ground was scorched, the land littered with the blackened, smoldering trunks of trees where once stood an ancient forest. There were no sounds of wildlife, no birds chirping overhead or even the slight rustle of rodents scurrying across the ground. Nothing lived.

Kagome peeked at Sesshomaru behind her lashes. His face had hardened, his lips drawn tightly into a scowl. His aura thrashed around him angrily, effectively keeping everyone else at a good distance. All but Kagome.

She couldn't help but feel for him, the fury he must be struggling against. To think that such devastation could occur in such a small amount of time. The hum of the earth broke her heart and she bowed her head in reverence, respect and grief for the life ripped from the very ground.

As they came into view of the stronghold still a good distance ahead, the tachi came to a silent halt as they tried to process what they were seeing. Winged dragons, black as charcoal, speckled the darkening sky. Plumes of flame erupted occasionally, alighting the space around it to reveal the black shapes of the Karyu in their true forms, their bodies angled sharply and slightly distorted, their spines lined with treacherous-looking spikes.

Large mounds of earth had been gathered outside the gates, along with huge piles of wood Sesshomaru guessed the dragons had flown in from his lands. Lines of slaves poured in and out of the open gates, some gathering the fresh earth in wooden buckets while others were forced to carry great piles of wood.

Several platoons worth of the demons in their human forms marched about, carrying spears, swords, shields and whips as they forcefully ordered Sesshomaru's men and, to their outrage, women around. They lashed them with black, leather whips lined with sharp, curved blades on the end, poked them with spears, ushering them back in line, shoving ropes in their hands to lift great stones into a massive retaining wall to support the first and only outer wall that housed the gates. They were definitely expecting an attack.

The once white marble walls of the stronghold were scorched black and on various places at the top, one could make out large chunks of stone missing where a dragon had landed and then propelled itself away, its massive claws freeing the material with its ascent.

On the roof of the fortress lay a massive black dragon, surpassing exponentially all the others in size. His tremendous voice snarled an unintelligible command at the closest soldiers in front of him that shook the earth with its force.

Kikyo panted, her hands cleaving to her chest as if to protect her newborn heart. The sound awakened cold, terrible memories. A nervous sweat broke out across her forehead. She locked eyes with Kagome and with a slight nod of her head, her fears were confirmed.

The large, black dragon, Seiryu, thundered a devastating growl. _"Faster!"_

Kagome whimpered painfully, effectively gaining the others' attention once again. Her eyes closed as she steeled herself against her nerves. "We have to kill them all."

The shock of her words rang through the air. It was highly unlike Kagome to say something so direct and merciless and the resounding confusion was great.

Miroku suddenly shifted, the rings on his shakugo chiming softly and the sound invoked a feeling a tranquil peace and patience. Seeing he had everyone's attention, he spoke candidly to his friend.

"Lady Kagome, surely you do not mean all of them? What of Sesshomaru-sama's men, the innocent women and children?"

At this, all the effort she had put into training her face disappeared. Her voice broke as her eyes glassed over dangerously with moisture. "Can't you see, Miroku? _They're already dead_."

Heads snapped back to the scene, looking more carefully this time for the evidence of her claim. Now they could see the somewhat sluggish, robotic movements of the people, the way some of their heads were carried in a distorted way. They lumbered about the place in a strange daze, following orders like mindless zombies and marching together in an eerily synchronous fashion.

If one looked closer, as the demons in the group were capable, they could see the burns across their faces, their clothes blackened and scorched from fire, their flesh clawed open in places and still oozing black poison from various bites on their torso, arms and legs.

"Don't you get it?" Kagome's soft, feminine voice caught their attention again as they were pulled into the understanding of her words. "It's like Kagura's Dance of the Dead. They kill you and then...partially resurrect you. Only some of their soul is returned and it is with this consciousness that they cry for help." She shook her head, as if to dispel what was happening from her mind. Her gaze fell on Sesshomaru and he felt his heart clench when she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Kikyo trembled involuntarily next to her mate at the sound and he placed an arm around her shoulder comfortingly. Shippo buried his face in the flesh of her neck, wishing for all the world that he could simply hide forever in her silver hair.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed on the atrocious and tragic scene before him. Seiryu's magic was fiendish, to say the least. The souls' of his people suffering was something he could not bare and the sheer disrespect the Karyu had shown to their corpses was too much. He sprang from his position towards the fortress, intent on rending the slimy reptiles limb from limb for having the audacity to perform such heinous acts on his people, his land and to deliver the peace his subjects were begging for. He felt his control slipping with his rage at the thought of what they'd done to his ward and retainer as the red began to bleed into the amber of his eyes.

Inuyasha was right behind him, brandishing Tetsusaiga while Kikyo followed with Shippo on her shoulder. Kohaku swung his sickle chain while Kagome brought up the rear, using her powers to increase her speed as Kilala carried Miroku and Sango.

Sesshomaru drew Bakusaiga and unleashed a wave of green and yellow light aimed for the first cluster of slaves beginning to head in their direction. The light collided with their bodies and with a great hiss of satisfaction, flesh and clothing alike disintegrated into dust.

Kagome, likewise, was firing sacred arrows into the fray. Her blue energies purified on contact, releasing the fragmented souls from their temporary prisons of flesh and sending them back to the afterlife to become whole again.

As Sango's Hiraikotsu tore through another wave of them, Inuyasha unleashed the windscar, disintegrating the wave that was moving in behind the first.

The guards at the gate spotted them and gave the call that the Lord had come to take back his flock. Seiryu rose and gave a massive, earth shattering roar of outrage. His great, leathery wings spread out before him and began to flap, slowly taking him into the air with each heavy thrust and lift.

He barreled over the fortress and headed straight for Sesshomaru, a shadow of a nightmare against the darkening, twilight sky.

_'So be it,'_ The taiyoukai thought to himself with resolve as he relinquished his control. His eyes bled a deep scarlet as his mouth elongated into one filled with fangs. His moko moko took to the air behind him as his body took the shape of his true form, a massive, white Inu that bore his markings. The ground shook beneath them as his enormous paws took their first steps onto the earth.

The dragon hissed tauntingly above him, revealing a set of grotesque looking fangs yellowed with the stains of blood.

Sesshomaru's chest rumbled low and threatening in response, a snarl lodged deep in his throat. The sound thundered furiously across the sky, trembling the ground beneath his paws. White fur bristled, standing on end imposingly while his lips were curled back thinly, revealing a line of dark purple gums, a set of immense, iron jaws filled with deadly sharp, colossal sized fangs and a mouth salivating with pure acid. It plopped in great heaps onto the ground, melting deep into the earth until an abysmal hole was all that remained of the area. He sat low on his haunches, poised and still as death. Small, dark green pupils encased in enormous, almond shaped eyes of blood red remained fixed on the approaching form of Seiryu, following his rhythmic movements up and down as the beast's wings propelled him forward.

Around them, the light of day was almost completely gone as the sun finally slipped completely below the horizon. The first stars began to twinkle against a pink canopy of sky, the last residual light of the sun's efforts that quickly faded to a deep royal purple and finally, a rich, midnight blue.

With a viscous, cacophonous snarl, Sesshomaru lunged his massive body in one, powerful thrust from the earth, his paws outstretched to take in his victim. With a great, calamitous crash, they collided against one another in a blur of barred teeth and gargantuan, acute claws, billowing waves of fire and expanding clouds of poisonous gas surging together in a symphony of shimmering black scales and immaculately white fur.

Graceful and disciplined but feral and calculating, each had significant advantages over the other given their contrasting inherited abilities.

For one, Sesshomaru in his full form was more than twice the dragon's size. Were it not for the creature's ability to fly, he would tower over him by several yards. His teeth and claws carried a poison the Karyu was in no way immune to. If he managed even a single bite or slash, he was doomed to die eventually anyway. But Sesshomaru had other ideas for the King of the Karyu, for the man he once claimed brother and a slow death by poison was not even close.

His speed was no match either, despite the encumbrance of his size, the taiyoukai knew he could out maneuver the fire dragon.

But Seiryu was not defenseless, either. His fire breath was the strongest of his kind, devastating everything even at a far range with a staggering diameter of flame. As strong as he was, Sesshomaru was not immune to fire and should he endure a direct hit, even he wasn't positive he would survive.

The dragon's hide was also incredibly thick and difficult to pierce. His blood carried a toxic poison but Sesshomaru was immune to all of them and his was devastatingly more potent in comparison.

Massive claws tore through the flesh of the creature's leathery wings, pinning him to the ground. Seiryu responded by clawing frantically with all four of his legs, serrated edged talons catching and ripping through the flesh and fur of Sesshomaru's stomach.

Sesshomaru endured, one paw lifting from his wing to his throat. Before he could step down and crush his neck, however, Seiryu took a quick breath and snarled fire into the face of his opponent.

While he was temporarily blinded, the dragon swept out from under the great Inu to release another wave of fire, cursing as Sesshomaru dodged it with ease, coming straight for him.

Meanwhile, Sango, Kilala and Miroku handled the dragons flying in the air with a combination of Hiraikotsu, his sutras and some strong demon repellent that acted as a great stunner.

Kohaku guarded Kagome and Kikyo from behind, allowing the women to focus and concentrate on their powers. As Kikyo fired her bow over and over, her aim immaculate, Kagome concentrated on sending large blasts of purifying energy at the organized demonic militia forming ranks in front of them. They were preparing for an assault!

"WINDSCAR!" Inuyasha's voice suddenly boomed and out of her peripheral, she saw him bring down the blade of Tetsusaiga with a practiced ease, the yellow light of the windscar tearing through nearly four ranks of the entire platoon.

_'Well, there's one less problem,' _she thought dryly.

The fortress itself suffered under the attack, the foundations trembling as the blow receded into the scattered dust in the air.

Their numbers were dwindling. Hardly any remained in the sky and what did were quickly being targeted by the monk and slayer.

On the ground, Kagome, Kikyo, Inuyasha, Kohaku and Shippo all unleashed attack after attack. They were pushing into the gates of the fortress, breaching the walls. The remaining soldiers had not the chance to close the gates and fight the intruders at the same time without their leader to give them orders.

There was a scream of pain from overhead and Kagome turned to see Hiraikotsu embed itself into the ground at her feet, glowing red hot like an ember. Her worried eyes found Kilala to see Miroku steadying Sango, who grimaced in pain with her arm held to her chest. The fire cat deftly dodged another wave of fire from the last dragon in the sky, nearly knocking both riders off her back in the tumble.

Sango hissed through clenched teeth at the pain engulfing her hand. Her Hiraikotsu had burned it when she caught it, having only just flown through a wall of flame. Miroku could not dispel his sutras and steady Sango at the same time.

The dragon lunged for them, hoping to swipe them clean out of the air with his massive claws.

Kagome freed her bow from her shoulder and threaded an arrow, pulling it tight until the wooden shaft grazed the tip of her ear. Taking aim, she charged it with her purifying power and released. The dragon gave an indomitable roar, its attention fixated on the fire neko. It did not sense the arrow coming until the sharp head had embedded itself into the leathery hide of the reptile's belly. With a brilliant flash of blue light, it turned to dust that disappeared on the wind.

Miroku beamed down at her. "I owe you one, Kagome!"

She grinned back sheepishly in response as Kilala descended. She was taking Sango's hand into her own the minute the fire cat's feet had touched the earth. An orb of white light surrounded the injured area and Sango sighed deeply with relief as the burn faded from her skin.

"Thank you, Kagome," she said as she hugged her friend gratefully. Kagome just smiled and turned to follow the others into the fortress.

Once inside the inner wall, they were faced with Sesshomaru's soldiers, moving to the orders given by the remaining dragons. They charged and the group proceeded to send their souls back to the after life, one swing at a time.

Kikyo was forced to use her claws, her Inu instinct taking over as so many began to assault them from the front. She tore into the approaching bodies with a ruthlessness she was not accustomed to but felt a grim satisfaction when they fell under the blows, knowing that she had saved their souls and her own recently-given life. Their bodies moved against them but their eyes held a desperation and shame that infuriated her. It was as if they were saying_ 'I'm sorry, I have no control. Please, kill me.'_

Kohaku swung his chain, embedding the tip if his sickle in the neck of another fallen soldier and yanking it back, taking the head clean off. Kikyo stood next to him, snarling and sinking her claws into the closest opposing thing nearby while Inuyasha continued to brandish Tetsusaiga, decimating the remaining dragon forces. It was almost over.

Shippo followed Kohaku closely, careful not to get in the slayer's way and watching his back. Whenever the boy was threatened from behind, the kit would unleash a wave of foxfire. It was not enough to kill but it did buy the time needed for Kohaku or someone else to take it out before it did any damage.

Kagome had just taken out a good twenty with a well placed blow from her staff when she suddenly tripped over the stone pieces of a large, clay vase that had shattered on the floor of the courtyard. She could tell they had been painted ornately and bent to pick one of the fragments up.

"Rin." The name fell from her lips with a quiet wonder as flashes of memory passed over her sight. Rin's voice, laughing. Rin's hands, holding the vase. "Flowers," she muttered softly, her eyes unfocused.

"What?" Sango called worriedly. "Kagome-chan?" She made to step towards her friend in concern but was halted by a soft hand settling around the crook of her elbow.

"Wait," the monk whispered, his violet eyes trained on his friend curiously.

Kagome's eyes remained unfocused, staring off into space. Her lips moved slightly, the sound of her words soft and barely understood. "They had always been her favorite. This vase was her favorite. This was the vase she was holding when they came."

Inuyasha and Kikyo, flanked by Kohaku and Shippo protected the three in the middle.

The vase was falling. Tumbling through the air. Time meant nothing. The wake of the storm was silent. And then...

Her eyes opened and the monk beside her inhaled sharply at the glowing blue that shone in them. His holy training recognized the vision for what it was and he told Sango quickly not to interfere. They flanked her, protecting her from any oncoming enemies.

She saw the young, innocent child housed in a dank, wet cell, her body curled into the corner frightfully. Her clothing was torn in several places and she was dirty all over. Even her black hair had streaks of dirt running through it.

Before her stood another Karyu, whose scorched fingers were quickly untying the obi at his waist and leering down at her in a condescending manner. He had long, jet black hair, pale skin and a pair of shining black eyes like obsidian.

His horai and hakama disposed of, he stood before her bare skinned and knelt, forcefully pulling the knot at her waist open. When her tiny hands made to fight him off, he back handed her hard into the opposing wall. The side of her head crashed against the stone with a sickening crack.

She ceased fighting, then, muttering a soft word that made the Karyu darkly laugh his amusement.

"Sesshomaru isn't coming for you, little one," he crooned as he parted her knees, placing his large manhood at her entrance. Her head fell over to the side, revealing a large spot of blood beginning to drip down the side of her face. "No one is."

He embedded himself to the hilt in her waiting sheath. Her high pitched screams filled the cell, full of pain, fright and broken modesty.

He began to thrust, panting as his member breached her tight opening. As he felt himself fully seated inside her at the end of every stroke, he released his seed.

The child was fertile and with the fortress coming down around their ears, this may be his last chance to sire an heir.

When Kagome came to, she was still screaming the child's name and fisting a shard of the vase in her hand so hard her palms were bleeding.

Outrage. Fury. The goddess in her threw back her head and moaned, a strained, longing sound that spoke of the deepest grief, fury and mourning. Her voice stretched out to the ears of all those living in the fortress and it struck their hearts with the feeling conveyed behind it.

The wind howled its misery, filling the space around her. The ground beneath her feet trembled in outrage. The sky thundered threateningly, the sound rolling above them and into the distance. The temperature of the air suddenly rose, fed by heat coming from the ground as the humidity thickened, making everything seem heavier, suddenly.

Kagome felt her mind slipping, succumbing to the wonderful darkness that beckoned her. Since she had connected with the earth, she had merged with the Mother of creation, became one with the innocence of the Maiden and with that came the manipulation of elements, the love and trust she held for the world. But there was another side of this realm that she had resisted, avoided and it called to her, invoked her and it was with this moment that she would finally embrace the last element that would complete her form, the darkness that called to her with the sparkling luster of mystery.

The aging, wise form of the Crone loomed before her and she felt her heart clench with the sorrow she would know. Still, she felt a respect and love in this creature she could not deny and fell trustingly into her waiting arms.

The pain harvested by generation after generation of grieving mothers that lost their children to war, famine, disease and slavery filled her heart, delivering a clawing ache of excruciating delirium. She was the widow living in solitude, content to wait for death rather than make an attempt at living. She was the daughter, raised into slavery and rape, dying in childbirth at such a young, tender age, her heart filled with the injustice and sorrow of the world.

She was the guardian of the household, protector of everything newly born, mother of the craft. She wept openly, tears of blood staining her cheeks. The others looked on in shock, helpless to stop the vision that fell before their friend's eyes.

She felt the black energies take hold of her life force, freezing it in time and place. The sensation forced the breath out of her lungs. The flesh of her skin paled to a while luminescence, hardening. Her insides suddenly felt frozen over. Black tresses lengthened to the back of her knees, the color shifting to that of a dark, rich blue that caught the light supplied in silver reflections.

On her forehead, the mark of the Wheel of Rebirth appeared in dainty, black lines. It looked like a tiny circle housing a cris-crossed star, settling right on the top, middle portion of her brow.

Sesshomaru felt the tremor that passed through the earth, heard the agonizing, outraged cry torn from Kagome's throat. Amber eyes narrowed in her direction at the sound, knowing something terrible had happened but the distraction only served to give Seiryu an opening. Instead of fire, a large orb of thrashing, orange light grew in his mouth. He expelled it forcefully with a great booming sound, like that of a cannon and Sesshomaru had to put all his concentration into dodging the blast.

Kagome seemed to rise in stature until she towered over all. Her once sapphire eyes were bright blue, glowing with an otherworldly luminescence, flames of topaz light swirling rapidly in cerulean depths. Long, wavy blue hair fanned around her knees, swathing her in darkness and contrasting her pale skin, making it glow with an otherworldly light.

The blade of her staff pointed at a slant towards the ground and she spun, swinging it in a swift, full circle around her. A line of blue power followed the blade's path, exploding as she completed the circle to fill the room with the bright, blue light of her power. The remaining dead souls were purified and the room fell quiet as Inuyasha and everyone else turned to see what was going on, having nothing else to fight.

Her fury trembled and the earth followed suit, channeling her feelings of anger. As she closed her eyes to calm herself, a line of bright blue remained to mark the top of her lids. Her heart reached out to Rin in her moment of need, placing her spirit at her side while at the same time, opening a link to Sesshomaru so he could hear and see what she did.

The Karyu, literally right in the middle of raping the girl, felt a draft of wind behind him. His head turned and he was so frightened by what he saw, he stumbled away from Rin, trying to regain his balance by catching himself clumsily on the bars of her cell.

Kagome lifted her arm and with a flick of her wrist, he was encased in a strong spiritual barrier, still naked.

Rin did not look at her savior. She remained curled into the adjacent wall, staring blankly at nothing in the stone facing her.

Without warning, one massive paw swiped hard, catching Seiryu across his reptilian face. Sesshomaru's claws ran deep into the dragon's skin, pumping his blood with a large dose of his poison as he raked them clear across his face.

Deciding to leave the wounded Karyu king until later, he then sprinted in the direction of his ward's scent.

Kagome's spirit form reached out to Rin and the little girl finally ran into the warmth of her light. With a brilliant flash of blue, Miroku and Sango gaped as the form of a disheveled Rin appeared in Kagome's arms. She clung to her neck, her tiny legs wrapped around her waist and a head of bloodied, black hair rested on her shoulder. There was another brilliant flash of white that left them blinking to regain their vision as Kagome healed the child of all her wounds.

Sesshomaru transformed into his human form to speed towards his ward. He crashed through the gates into the outer courtyard, his eyes falling on the form of Kagome on the ground, holding a tiny human child tight to her chest. The others had taken care of what appeared to be the remainder of the Karyu as only bodies littered the ground.

His legs propelled him forward, grateful for the swiftness with which they moved aside, until he knelt beside the pair. Kagome gave him a soft, pitying look, her own eyes filled with tears. His eyes quickly roamed over her new markings, her even paler skin, the blue-black of her hair and the sparkle of topaz and sapphire in her eyes that were also now lined in bright blue.

He knew the last step of her transformation and had known whatever initiated it would be terrible. He felt his heart clench in sympathy and respect to know that it had been her outrage at seeing Rin defiled.

Her cheery voice belied the pain he knew she was feeling. "Rin, honey, there's someone here that would love to see you."

The child stirred in her arms, her little hand coming up to move a strand of black hair out of her eyes shyly and tucking it behind her ear. Sesshomaru found the almond peaking at him through midnight black tresses.

"Sesshomaru...sama?" her little voiced asked tiredly, full of hurt.

He felt his heart break in his chest. "Rin," he called to her softly, his face full of concern, love and regret that he hadn't gotten to her sooner.

Kagome felt her body heave as the child sucked in a breath.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" she cried loudly, finally.

_'Her first words,' _Kagome thought with a lump in her throat as she watched the child open her arms in a silent question for him to pick her up with tears making tracks down her puffy cheeks.

His arms encircled his child, pulling her to his chest as her tiny face immediately hid in the white silk of his horai, sobbing her little broken heart out. She wailed, she cried openly and all the while she clung to him, desperately needing his support.

His hands stroked her hair affectionately. "Everything's alright now," he assured her softly and she nodded her head against him timidly. Placing a finger under her chin to guide her face up and look at him, he gave her the rare gift of a soft, loving smile. "This one will never let anything happen to Rin, his _musume_."

Chocolate eyes widened with astonishment before her face broke out in a bright, loving smile. Sesshomaru thought it felt like a ray of light shining directly into his heart. His daughter would smile again.

"_Oyaji_!" she cried, burying her face into his chest and sobbing again. Though this time, he was sure it was for a much better reason.

His eyes flickered to Kagome and in her loving, tear-filled gaze he felt gratitude rise in his gut on a level he had never thought possible. She had created this moment, he realized, by opening his mind and heart up to the world of emotions. By enabling him to know what they felt like on a deep, personal level, by sharing her own emotional experiences with him, he was able to detect and unlock feelings buried deep within his psyche. He would not have been capable of offering this comfort now to his ward if she had not done so.

For so long, he had thought the knowledge of such things was a foolish indulgence into weakness and could never be so important as to serve him convenience or wisdom.

Now, as he held his child in his arms, comforted by the scent of her proximity and the subsequent knowledge of her safety, he knew no other thing in his life could mean so much or be so important. With the walls of his stronghold falling around them, there was no time for anything other than his ability to comfort and console the heart of his frightened, traumatized child. His ability to do so held in the dainty, feminine hands of the woman sitting in front of him.

She rose suddenly and walked out into the middle of his courtyard. Her arms spread open wide to the fragmented souls that lingered on this plane. The sparkling orbs moved to hover around her as she called upon the winds of the underworld.

An icy draft began to pour into the stronghold from all directions, centered on Kagome's position. Sesshomaru wrapped Rin in his moko moko against the surge of wind, as Inuyasha held Kikyo against him while Miroku held Sango and Kohaku, Kilala and Shippo all huddled together.

The wind swirled around Kagome, sending her hair flying into the air around her as the orbs followed the swirling currents, gaining momentum as they spun round and round her form.

Her pale fingers reached out to stroke each one tenderly, as if to say goodbye. The speed of the winds intensified as Kagome rose her arms to the sky, the orbs were sent rocketing towards the stars in a brilliant pillar of light.

She continued to gaze at the heavens with her head fallen back, her face mourning their loss. Her cheeks sparkled with tears as the light around her slowly ebbed back into the soil at her feet and she closed her eyes to whisper a solemn prayer.

_"River, o river, flow gently for me, such precious cargo you bear. Do you know somewhere they can live free? River, deliver them there..."_

The orbs scattered about the horizon, twinkling as they settled into their new homes, glittering above the others as permanent reminders of their sacrifice in that realm.

The winds died as Kagome dropped to her knees before falling face forward into the charred ground below her.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel**


	11. River of Dreams

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

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The pain was excruciating. It resonated through her being, a constant emotional ache of turmoil, panic, confusion, fury, sorrow and chaos. She had always possessed a natural ability to feel for others. Now, she felt that same sensitivity unbidden, an unbreakable tether that connected her to every living being in the world.

She need only look upon a person or think of them to know instantly what they felt. Only she could handle such, she realized. Only she had been born to already understand and consider the plights and joys of others so compassionately.

Time could no longer touch her for she was, on some level, the very embodiment of death itself. Life and rebirth, creation and destruction, the forces remained balanced and poised inside of her, ready to be unleashed should her heart deem the situation worthy.

Where there was death, there was life and where there was light, there was darkness. For every pain she felt, there was pleasure to return it. For her grief, there was joy, for her sorrow, there was laughter, for all her fury there was love, enough to encompass all.

Yet, the person that was Kagome remained. Her character had not changed and it was inside the pure heart of this selfless once mortal that such power was entrusted. Only she had the eyes and heart needed to find the answers and only she could guide the life in this realm to peace.

Memories ebbed and flowed across her mind like water, clear for a moment and blurry the next, disappearing into the darkest recesses of her subconscious as her attention was pulled by another taking its place. Her mind played the images like a slow waltz, bringing them in and taking them away just as she began to get interested.

Voices she recognized from the tugging sensation in her heart alone whispered into her ears as she drifted on a warm current of warmth, her mind slowly accepting the truths to these images even as they were pulled away from her.

She looked on as she saw herself beckoning the fragmented souls of the dead, moved by their plight and suffering given her own experience with the pain of sharing her soul.

As her memories shifted, she heard softly spoken voices that slowly grew louder in her ears, as the light of a picture began to form in her mind.

_"Your proximity is not uncomfortable." _Sesshomaru's voice was as smooth as silk in a deep, sexy baritone. She saw herself flying in his arms, her face a brilliant shade of red.

She remembered thinking that if she just focused on a certain spot in the distance that he wouldn't notice the way her cheeks had flamed scarlet. Disconnected as she was, she felt her heart flutter as he smirked behind her, tightening his grip on her waist. He definitely knew about the blushing, she mused.

He actually seemed to enjoy the way she floundered for something appropriate to say and she could see, now, the silent laughter in his eyes as he teased her further.

_"You have a uniquely appealing scent, Kagome."_

His eyes sparkled with amusement as she watched her spine straighten in his grasp. She had to stop herself from giggling at the shocked expression on her own face. It had been the first time he'd used her name and to do so in such a flirtatious, familiar and...dare she say it? _intimate _way was more than a little surprising coming from the great, taiyoukai Sesshomaru.

She muffled a laugh at her unintelligible attempt at a thank you. The way Sesshomaru smiled behind her made her knees weaken slightly.

_"And thank you for this," _she heard herself manage. _"I honestly didn't know what I was going to do back there..."_

"_It is of no consequence,"_ his velvety voice insisted. _"This one is honored that he has been given the chance to repay some of the debt I seem to keep acquiring from you."_

"_It's not debt!" _She fell for his trap again but caught the playful look in his eyes and smiled.

_"Well, you could employ me with your staff, give me a job and a place to live. Of course, that would mean putting up with my human stench, my screechy voice, the risk of being purified or-"_

_"I'll do it."_

Kagome trembled at the serious proclamation and the way his eyes met her's hungrily. She found in those amber orbs a heart starving for affection, though he was too proud to admit his own need and she was afraid of taking the fall.

_"Wh-What? No, I mean, I wasn't seriously just-"_

_"All the same. If you desire a home, mine is open to you."_

She felt her heart grow tender in her chest. He was offering her the world and she hadn't realized it. She took it as a sort of a business proposition at the time, though she rightly acknowledged the great generosity of the offer. She had been too close to the situation to understand what he was really offering. Tears brimmed in the corners of her eyes, making soft trails down her cheeks.

_"Why?" _She was asking now, her expression furrowed with confusion. _"Is it what I did for Rin? Your arm? Sesshomaru, you owe me nothing. Please, don't feel compelled to burden yourself with my needs."_

_"Quite the contrary. My fortress is well equipped and sized to accommodate fifty and two hundreds."_

He tried to make it seem as though the offer were less than it was but Kagome could see, now, his true intent. By remarking on the sheer size of his stronghold, he made giving her lodging and work seem small in comparison, as though her presence would barely be noticed.

_"Two hundred-fifty! That's alot!"_

She scoffed at the way she had naively taken the bait and been side tracked. But Sesshomaru had a very sharp mind and it was one of the many qualities that attracted her to him.

_"Indeed."_

_"Well, if you're positive it isn't going to bother or burden you and you swear that if you later decide it does that you'll tell me...I guess after the jewel is completed and dealt with, I'll be coming there."_

The silence stretched a moment comfortably as she relaxed in his hold considerably.

Kagome's attention wavered slightly, until she was pulled in by Sesshomaru's voice ending the story about his cousin, Ponyo and her intended mate, Seiryu.

_"Hnn. They never bore another pup and died soon after."_

She watched herself trying to hide the fact that she was crying miserably from her counterpart. His delicate nose rose into the air momentarily at the first sign of her tears before his gaze fixated on her form, amber eyes softening just a fraction.

Her heart leapt in her throat as she watched him place a single claw under her chin and turn her face gently to look at him.

He was so beautiful, she remembered thinking. The sun was low in the sky, making the starlight silver of his hair glow ethereally. The honeycomb of his eyes filled her with warmth, while the stern jut of his jaw made her swell with appreciation for his masculine perfection.

_"You would cry for this?" _His voice asked her softly and Kagome heard the underlying tone of affection in his voice for the first time.

_"It's just so sad, you know?"_

Then, they were kissing, his lips ravaging her's while his hands touched her everywhere, roaming the curves of her body hungrily. She watched his markings thicken across his cheeks, the blue moon on his brow growing a darker and darker shade of blue.

Her aura sparkled around them as his own rose up to meet her's. She watched them merge together as one, just as the scent of her arousal hit his nose.

He was taking her hand. _"You must stop," _he pleaded. _"Or I will take you down to the ground and rut you where ever we land, prying eyes be damned."_

The memories were flickering again and she only just made out Sesshomaru's concerned face turning to her and hearing him say, _"Are you well, Kagome? What ails you?" _before her mind faded to black again.

The light receded and returned anew, this time bringing the form of Sesshomaru standing at the outer gates of his fortress, his widened, almond-cut eyes of amber fixed on her form and that of his ward. The worry etched into his features as he hurried towards them, ever graceful and calculating a creature, until he knelt softly by their side, as if he feared they were so delicate as to crumble to ashes in his presence. She knew, now, the way in which this gesture was executed spoke of his compassion for both.

Her eyes watched him take his child into his arms, watched him patiently console her with soft strokes of her hair and rubbing tiny circles on her back. She felt the tears coming unbidden again to slide across her cheeks at the sound of Rin's sorrowful cries.

She felt her heart swell with appreciation, surprise and love as she heard Sesshomaru call her his musume, or daughter. The following light that sprang into the child's eyes and the smile she wore across her face filled her with warmth and peace.

It was there that his eyes met her's and she saw in them a deep appreciation for saving Rin, for enlightening him, perhaps for restoring his arm. But also, there was admiration and a slight softening of his expression as he regarded her she couldn't quite pin point. When she tried, there came a delightful flutter of butterflies in her stomach and a feeling much like her belly dropping when on a roller coaster.

The picture receded and no matter how hard she tried to bring it back, it was gone, leaving only the warmth of darkness in its wake.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	12. Mother Earth, Father Time

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

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Outside the smoldering remains of Sesshomaru's stronghold in the west, Inuyasha's tachi recovered themselves from the two days of battle and weeks of traveling they had endured.

Relief was a sweet thing, long since craved. The feeling swept everyone to their core and it was liberating, joyfully received but it would not have come without grief, hardship, strife and enough experience with the world by now to know that even this well-sought moment of peace would not last.

Such was the price of a victory so great, that sacrifices would undoubtedly be made.

Kagome lay unconscious on a pallet near the fire, her body well over drawn with the powers she had unleashed to purge Japan of the villain Naraku and to vanquish the intruding army in Sesshomaru's citadel. Nestled against her lay Rin, shivering quietly with her knees drawn tightly to her chest.

A grave cloud of silence filled the air with tension. The devastated array of crumbling rock that was Sesshomaru's home was a sad enough sight without the added brutality of the blackened earth beneath it. The very smell of smoke in the air bore a constant reminder of the tragedy that had occurred.

Sango and Kikyo fed the children what remained of their meat rations, as no fowl could be foraged in the area. Once they were fed, they were immediately put to bed near the fire.

Kikyo had Inuyasha fetch water and made Rin a sedative tea filled with sleeping herbs to ease the child's mind. Shippo curled up next to the young onna while Kohaku kept a watchful eye on both.

Even after the medicine, the child tossed and turned, her brow furrowing with unwanted memories. Kikyo fixed her golden eyes on the child, her pupils following every movement until one particularly pitiful whimper had her springing to her feet to gather her in her arms.

Rin disappeared behind a mane of familiar silver hair as Kikyo settled them against a log, rocking her back and forth. Mindful of her new claws, she gently stroked her head softly in comfort.

Shippo looked askance at the scene, willing to be closer to his friend but unsure whether Kikyo would permit it. With a welcoming smile, Kikyo patted the spot next to her and Shippo scuffled across the campsite to join them.

"Look into the fire," she told them both mischievously, her eyes shining. Everyone followed her gaze to the space above the flames, laughing and clapping as the smoke suddenly began to form into the shape of a large and beautiful Lotus flower slowly opening.

"Preeetty," Rin gasped with delight.

To the surprise of everyone, Kikyo began to sing as the smoke twisted and turned to her will. Her voice was very low and soft, pulling everyone's attention into the notes with a kind of lazy attraction. The melody was slow and sweet, causing the childrens' lids to droop drowsily.

_"How very special are we for but a moment to be part of life's eternal rhyme,"_

With one arm supporting Rin, she draped the other over Shippo's shoulders and pulled him closer, smiling when he blushed shyly. The smoke twisted again into the form of two people, a woman and a man dancing gracefully together around the flames. A crescent moon seemed to follow the woman, bathing her in a delicate silver light, while the form of the man seemed to glow with a golden hue like the sun. She wore a gown that seemed to glitter with sparkling stars and her hair seemed to be made of storm clouds.

_"How very special are we to have in our family tree Mother Earth and Father Time,"_

Miroku gathered Sango closer and she relaxed in his embrace, pulling Kohaku with her as they rested against Kilala's fur, grateful for the soothing tones of Kikyo's song and immensely enjoying the show.

Across from them, Inuyasha looked on, his eyes catching the light of the fire as he watched his beloved care for the children. The beauty of her voice was not lost on him and he found himself eternally grateful and admiring of her ability to enchant everyone she met.

Her amber eyes were just as fierce as they had been when she was a mortal. They shined with a kind of undying light, a spark and will to live like he'd never known. She wore her hair as she had always done with a long, white ribbon, only now it was silver like his own. He watched her pale fingers disappear into Rin's black tresses, gently stroking and coaxing the child to sleep. Her lips had a rosy hue he had gone so long without seeing when she walked the earth as an undead. Her cheeks carried the tone and he could feel the warmth of her flesh from where he sat, could hear the comforting notes of her heartbeat.

As if sensing his train of thought, her eyes met his as she wove the next verse and he felt a shiver of longing creep up his spine. He longed to gather her in his arms and it seemed she knew as much judging from the twinkle of mirth in her gaze.

The two smoke figures took new life, the woman at one moment adorned in a beautiful gown of white and silver as smoky snowflakes drifted silently around her and at the next moment, she had changed into a deep emerald gown with a bronze obi as the snowflakes turned into falling leaves.

_"He changed the seasons around and so she changes her gown,_

_But they always look in their prime;_

_They go on dancing their dance of everlasting romance,_

_Mother Earth and Father Time,"_

Rin had stilled in her arms, her breathing evened out to a deep purr while a glance to Shippo at her side revealed him fast asleep, curled into her hip.

Her lips quirked into a soft smile and she felt her heart melting at the scene. Her gaze shifted to those gathered around the fire and she realized they were waiting on her to continue. She met Inuyasha's eyes as her lips formed the final notes, softer now that the children were sleeping.

_"The summer larks return to sing of what a gift they give;_

_Then Autumn days grow short and cold,_

_Oh, what a joy to live..."_

A single tear slipped down her cheek as the figures of the man and woman kissed passionately for a brief moment before slowly pulling away. They continued to reach for each other desperately, panic and pain etched across their faces, even as some invisible force pulled them completely apart. The woman even mouthed the word 'no', her expression rent into a silent scream as her beloved was pulled from her view. The smoke twisted and changed to the sight of the earth in space, the sun on one end and the moon eternally on the other.

Kikyo's voice shook slightly, her eyes misted over, as she attempted to finish the last verse.

_"How very special are we for but a moment to be part of life's eternal rhyme,_

_How very special are we to have in our family tree Mother Earth and Father Time."_

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel : P**

**Song: Mother Earth and Father Time from Charlotte's Web**


	13. Damage Report

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

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While the others kept watched over Kagome and the children while they slept, Sesshomaru roamed the charred remains of his stronghold to ascertain the damage. His boots crunched against the scorched earth with each step, the scent of fire and death filling his nose.

The stone steps to the higher floors remained intact but all the rooms had been burned down to their barest forms. The ceilings were blackened where tapestries and curtains had been set aflame.

In some rooms, the tell tale scorch marks of remains were found and he grimaced in distaste at the callous way Seiryu and his army had dealt with his people. While he'd always known the King to be fiendish, this was above and beyond all his expectations. The dragon really knew how to play dirty and Sesshomaru couldn't help feeling that any creature capable of such cruelty should not be allowed to live. The fires of retribution still burned strong inside him and it took all of his control to keep them quiet.

The king had fled with his wounds back to his land. His weakened scent carried on the wind and Sesshomaru knew he was doomed to die at the hands of his poison eventually. It would be a long and painful death for which there was no cure. He took a little comfort for himself knowing that the king would die in the arms of his brethren so that all the Karyu would know of his fate and who delivered it.

Judging from the amount of remains he had discovered, there was still the question of where the rest of his stronghold had disappeared to. Certainly they had not killed everyone; such actions were wasteful and foolish. There was always a need for servants and slaves and even the most notoriously discriminate of demons would not turn his nose up at the opportunity to make use of a full staff, mortal or no. Though it was beneath his station even to consider such things, he could not dismiss the possibility that Seiryu had allowed some of those under his employ to survive, if only to serve him for the remainder of their lives. Even demons would not wish to have the undead serving them; the smell was unbearable and they were too lacking in intelligence.

He had no doubt that Seiryu would wish to enslave his people. It was yet another way to deal a blow to his own pride and ego. He knew for a fact their assault on the Fortress was unexpected to the Karyu and yet he had not found a single living survivor.

But there was still the dungeons to search and after that, the stables. Perhaps he would find some survivors yet. If not, he would have to face the possibility that they had already been sent to the Eastern lands as slaves, which would mean that he was honor-bound to free them.

Sesshomaru paused in his observations to glare hollowly at an ancient, burned portrait of his grand sire. It was so charred you could no longer even make out the lines of his face. Like all but the foundations of his stronghold, it was unsalvagable.

Everything would have to be refurnished, of that there was no doubt. The foundations had not suffered so much that they could not be repaired but there were some cracks that would need filling and of course the soot and ash would need to be cleared along with any remaining debris before they could even get started.

Once he had finished scouring the first and second floors, he ventured to the lower regions of his stronghold, down into the dank, black void of his dungeons.

A small flint housed next to a torch on the wall provided a spark, lighting his way.

On the floor in front of the first cell laid some broken wood and he bent to inspect it. A tuft of black hair caught his attention, tangled in a mass of splinters. His eyes widened a fraction as he recognized the eye of the madwoman. The staff of two heads had been rent in two.

He held the torch aloft, casting light into the cell to find a small huddle lying against the far wall.

"Jaken," he bit out sharply, relieved when the pile jumped a fraction.

The imp strained to speak, the sounds of air hissing through the liquid in his throat evident.

Sesshomaru grimaced. Dread made his heart fall at that straining sound. His poison made quick work of the lock and he entered the space, holding the torchlight to his retainer's face.

All the stoicism in the world could not prepare him for the sight and he resisted the urge to flinch away from the pitiful creature. His jaw had been broken, his tongue swollen and hanging out of the side of his face. His skin had been terribly charred, one of his large, yellow eyes was blackened and shut tight against the swelling.

He was covered in blood, dirt and various lacerations across his entire body. His clothes were hanging off him in rags, his usually pristine, brown robes now unrecognizable. One of his arms lay limply at his side, clearly out of socket, while his right foot sat at a wrong angle, telling the Lord all he needed to know about his situation.

One corner of the room had obviously been used as a latrine. The smell that assaulted his sensitive nose was nearly enough to make him dry heave but he controlled the impulse, training his face into a mask of indifference as he pulled the large boa from his shoulders and onto the floor. It moved to lightly wrap around his retainer until he was completely covered in the white fur. Sesshomaru picked him up carefully, mindful of his wounds as he made to leave.

Making his way back to the stair case, he was just about to exit when a pulse of holy power carrying a signature he recognized brought him full circle.

Narrowing his eyes at the room around the next corner, he thought he could see a dim, blue glow cast upon the stone floor in the darkness. Without a word, he turned swiftly away from the strange light and back towards the steps that would lead him out of the dungeons.

Kikyo was just drifting off to sleep against Inuyasha on their branch high within the boughs of a great Dogwood tree when she was suddenly lurched awake by a heavy pulse of a powerful aura. Inuyasha had woken in the same moment and they shared a brief look of caution before leaping for the ground.

They found Miroku, Sango and Kohaku all standing, facing the direction of the stronghold where the light of dawn was just beginning to purple the sky, giving a gray, overcast light to see by.

The aura pulsed again and at that same moment, Sesshomaru emerged from the shadows carrying a small, bloodstained bundle in his arms. He carried it straight past them silently to Ah-Un, where he unfastened a buckle on one of the great, leather packs. From it, he pulled large blanket, which he spread out on the ground and kneeled to gently place the bundle down.

As mokomoko carefully unwound itself from its charge, everyone standing flinched at the mangled form of Jaken.

Kikyo knelt next to the fire and pulled from her obi a long and thick piece of leather. From inside the folds of her long, white sleeves she pulled a small leather pouch on a thong. She emptied out the dried herbs on the leather and used a rock to begin the process of crushing the herbs into a powder. "I will do what I can for him to lessen the pain until Kagome awakens, Sesshomaru-sama," she said without lifting her eyes from her work.

Sesshomaru nodded just slightly, equally indifferent to facing her. "Your generosity is noted and appreciated, Kikyo." It was the first time he'd said her name, the implication of his gratitude seeming all the more sincere. He then turned his back and began walking away, back in the direction of the stronghold.

"Where are you going now?" Inuyasha grumbled quietly so as not to wake the children.

Sesshomaru never paused in step as he turned his head to the side just slightly enough to make out his words. "I have a debt to settle."

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**

Reviews are my fuel : p


	14. A debt to settle

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

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Three full strides brought him into the room, his eyes hardening on the sight of a naked Karyu housed in Kagome's barrier locked within the smallest cell.

Kagome's vision came flashing back. He saw the man raping his daughter again and fought the red that burned into the corners of his eyes.

The Karyu gulped as he saw the taiyoukai standing in front of him. He kept his hands in front of his manhood awkwardly. What had he done to invoke such a reaction? He was only a measly soldier. Unless, the young girl he raped? But that was a human and everyone knew that Sesshomaru hated humans.

Feeling relieved and rather confident that he would get out of this situation, he spoke. "Sesshomaru-sama, please forgive us for pillaging your stronghold. I'm just a lowly soldier, I meant no disrespect. I was only following orders, sir."

The taiyoukai blinked away the red to regard the man with cold, amber eyes of pure steel. "Were you following orders when you raped my daughter?"

The Karyu's mouth opened and closed like a fish as he fought to form a coherent response. "Y-your daughter, my lord?" he stammered. "T-there must be some mistake! The girl was a human-"

"Enough!" Sesshomaru's sharp voice rang through the cell and the man jumped back within the barrier in fright. The growl lodged in his throat tore across the room as he allowed his eyes to fill with the blood red of his beast yet again.

One hand glowing green and tipped with claws swiped elegantly and swiftly through the bars of the cell, sending the door flying across the space of the room and clattering against the opposite wall.

Sesshomaru bared his teeth, fangs lengthening before the Karyu's very eyes. His aura pulsed heavily across the space before him like a red cloud of mists. It grew from his form, expanding across the room until it collided with the blue aura of the barrier. It gave way, popping like a bubble the instant they touched, sending the Karyu to the ground at Sesshomaru's feet.

He advanced.

The deafening sounds of the Karyu's screams could be heard for miles as he was slowly rent from limb to limb by his claws.

Miroku erected a sound proof barrier around the children and Kagome, who were still sleeping, when the screams began. As the hour wore on, slowly the screaming began to die down until silence pervaded. It was at that moment, when the skies bled red with coming dawn, that Kagome awoke from inside the barrier.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel : P**


	15. Into Rin's Mind

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

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Kagome awoke to a terrible pulse of energy. She felt the rage and fury as if it were her own and felt the intent of vengeance moments before it was dealt. The Karyu's cries had bled into the unconsciousness of her dreamworld until she could no longer bare to hear them and willed herself awake.

As she opened her eyes, she felt his life force pass on the wind and understood that it was already too late. With a sigh, she sat up out of her bedclothes and looked around.

The sky was a deep scarlet with the rising sun. The sight made her want to recoil. She was sick of bloodshed. Sesshomaru's stronghold was dusty with the ashes of his subordinates. There had been enough suffering, in her opinion and she was determined to see to it that the Karyu who had just been killed would be the last. If she did not act, if she failed to utilize her powers and influence properly, there would a terrible war. She could feel Sesshomaru's thirst for vengeance. He would slaughter them to the brink of extinction if she did nothing stop him and he would not be entirely unjustified in his actions. The enslavement and torture of his peoples' souls, along with the violation of Rin's chastity gave him every right to do as he pleased.

Her eyes fluttered to the girl in question, finding her sound asleep on a pallet next to her with Shippo wrapped tight around her form.

"Lady Kagome," Miroku's quiet voice greeted her at the fireside. That was when she noticed the blue barrier they were encased in. It was barely visible in the waxing daylight, like looking through a bubble. Upon her inspection, he looked up as well as if just noticing it himself. "Oh that, just a precaution," he assured and with a wave of his hand it was nullified.

As the sound of the wind rushed around them with the absence of the barrier Kagome understood. He had been trying to protect them from the tortured screams of the Karyu that raped Rin. But he could not protect her, could he? Not when she could hear them from her very soul.

Sango lay sleeping by the fire, her arm draped over her little brother protectively. Kagome noted that Miroku, while keeping an eye on her, was closest to the slayer. Her eyes softened as she smiled at him warmly and he shrugged as if it were nothing, answering her smile with a wry grin of his own.

It was then, as her eyes landed on Inuyasha perched in a tree nearby with Kikyo hunched over the base, that she felt the wounded aura emanating from their position. She rose with purpose to kneel at Kikyo's side, her eyes softening on Jaken's mangled and struggling form. Kikyo had a bowl in her lap filled with a liquid green substance that smelled powerfully of astringent, antiseptic and willow bark, for the pain. As Kagome knelt next to her, she offered a wane smile. "I'm glad to see you awake, Kagome-chan."

Kagome smiled in response to the warm greeting from the former priestess. She truly made a stunning demoness with her heart shaped face and silver hair. "I'm sorry it took so long."

She outstretched her hands to hover over the kappa's body. Immediately, they ignited in glowing, blue flames that slowly expanded until it covered the tiny being wrapped in soiled bandages.

When the light faded, Jaken was left good as new. He panted on the ground, his yellow eyes the widest anyone had ever seen as he slowly sat up. His claws felt his face, chest and torso in disbelief, awe and surprise passing over his features as he gazed at Kagome.

She smiled softly in greeting. "I'm so glad to see you're going to be alright, Jaken."

For a moment, the kappa simply gawked, unable to form a response. In the next instant, Kagome found the Lord of the Western Land's retainer groveling at her feet.

"Kagome-sama! You have humbled me with your kindness and generosity. The mercy bestowed upon this unworthy servant will be remembered for centuries to come! I swear by the Kami themselves-"

"Ok, ok," Kagome interjected as his shouts of devotion began to wake the children. "I get the point. But really, Jaken, it's no big deal."

Kikyo and Jaken stared at Kagome with confused expressions on their faces. "What?" she asked wearily. A gruff chuckle above them brought their attention to Inuyasha, who jumped down from his treetop to join them.

"_'No big deal'_ is a future human term that means it's nothing serious," he elaborated for the others as Kagome made an 'Oh' sound with her understanding.

"Oh, but it IS serious!" Jaken objected and Kagome found herself chuckling at his comic persistence. Eying the rags he wore, she was about to suggest he find a change of clothes before realizing his situation. Likely, his main wardrobe had been kept in Sesshomaru's stronghold, which had been burned with everything else.

"Come here, I have something for you," she smiled mischievously as she headed back to the fire and began digging through her old, yellow pack. Pulling free a pile of dark fabric, she shoved the items into his arms without giving him the chance to refuse her.

"They were going to be Shippo's as soon as he grew into them, but I think you need them more than he does now."

Holding the two articles of clothing up, Jaken looked totally flabbergasted, so she sent Inuyasha to show him how to put them on.

Feeling her aura rise against the sensation of a heavy demonic aura approaching, Kagome turned in time to see Sesshomaru just stepping down into camp, his gaze trained to her's. She strode forward purposefully to his position and sensing she desired his confidence, he met her halfway.

She didn't waste any time. As soon as they were facing each other, with her voice kept low, she said, "I want to erase Rin's memory of what happened with the Karyu."

He rose a brow skeptically as she elaborated. "I'm sure it can be done with my powers but I would need to speak with Kaede first. I would also need your help."

"How can this Sesshomaru be of assistance?"

Her hesitation let him know it was more than likely not something he was going to be happy with.

"Well, you see..." she sighed and began again after taking a deep breath. "I'm going to need access to your mind."

At his blank expression, she continued. "It's like this, I can access her mind without your help, but my aura and power, while familiar to Rin, may cause her subconscious to feel threatened. If this happens, it will continuously try to reject me and I will make no progress. However, if I bring with me an aura and power she recognizes and takes comfort in, her subconscious will trust my presence as accounted for by you and will not feel threatened. Does that make sense?"

Not having the faintest idea was 'sense' was supposed to be, Sesshomaru got the gist of her meaning. "This Sesshomaru understands."

"And you're...ok with it?" Kagome probed, hoping he would grant his permission.

"Hn," he hummed his approval and Kagome smiled softly. Touching his arm in a gesture of comfort, she said, "I think it's for the best."

He nodded curtly. "We will depart for Inuyasha's forest as soon as everyone has woken."

Within the hour, the entire entourage was touching down on the outskirts of the village. Sesshomaru left Ah-Un with Jaken while everyone else headed to the old miko's hut.

The old miko ushered them all inside, offering a warm welcome to each individual as they passed through the leather skin flap. Even Sesshomaru was treated as an old friend, though he had never met this woman to his knowledge and had certainly never been inside her hut.

Inuyasha recounted the entire tale of how Naraku was defeated to the old miko, since this was the first they had seen Kaede since his death. Everyone chimed in to correct him at various points, giving their side of the story as well.

When the telling was done, Kagome pulled the nearly-completed jewel out from beneath her horai for Kaede to see, explaining that it still lacked both Kouga and Kohaku's shards. Miroku personally handed over his beaded rosary that used to seal the Wind Tunnel. The old priestess took the monk's once-cursed hand in her own pair of weathered ones and uttered a prayer of continued protection for his line that none of his ilk should face another curse like the one just lifted.

"This old woman is just grateful the lot of ye completed such a perilous mission without any losses. It is fortunate, indeed and you should all count yourselves lucky."

They nodded or hummed their agreement as they continued to sip their tea.

Once the matter of Naraku and the jewel could finally be dropped, Kagome sent the children outside to play so she could begin explaining to the old miko the latest events since Naraku's death. As soon as they were out of earshot, Kaede began to comment on her new markings.

"Ye have changed, child, come here. Sit down and turn your head this way, that's it. There, perfect." With her one good eye, Kaede squinted looking into Kagome's bright blue eyes. Her sharp, almond gaze fluttered over her knee-length, dark blue hair and the matching markings across her eye lids but held for the longest time on the dainty, black mark in the middle of her forehead. Silver brows furrowed in intrigue and deep thought.

"The symbol you bare on your brow is known as the Wheel of Rebirth. It is the past, present and future. It is also the wheel of the seasons. It represents many things. Time, life, death, reincarnation, a symbol of the many worlds in which there are and the many lives that pass through it each dawning day."

There was a long silence as everyone considered her words. Kagome finally broke the solitude with the question she could not ignore. "What does that mean for me?"

Kaede's eyes sparkled with mirth. "As a Miko, I understand that as a mere mortal vessel of power that I am in no position to lay assumptions as to the actions and reasoning of the Kami. But I can tell ye this: All my years of wisdom, training, knowledge and experience, my very instincts lead me to believe without a doubt that you are favored by the holy realm of eternal life and that you are destined for great things."

As she finished, everyone's eyes turned look at her and she felt unnerved by the attention. "Can everyone stop looking at me, please?"

Sesshomaru could not help his huff of amusement at her request, though it was fortunately covered by the snickering of everyone else.

"Yea, yea, laugh at Kagome. She's an easy target," she quipped sarcastically, only serving to further amuse everyone. "Anyway, we need to talk to you about something else."

So she delved through the story of Sesshomaru's stronghold, delivering the souls to heaven and lastly, Rin's rape.

Kaede gasped at the declaration, noticing Sesshomaru's hardened expression. She clucked disapprovingly, her features haunted by the cruelty of the Karyu's actions.

"I don't want her to remember what happened. She's still just a kid, you know? She needs more time to be a child. Her memories are haunted enough with her first death, she doesn't need anymore hardship. I've already healed her from the inside out, including her virginal barrier. All that's left is to heal the mental scars."

At this declaration, Sesshomaru fixed attention to Kagome. He hadn't known that she had gone so far as to repair his ward's integrity and felt all the more appreciative of her thoughtful nature.

"So that's why you're here, then, Sesshomaru-sama?" Kaede addressed him with the honorific in a display of polite formality. "You have agreed to act as the guardian during this transaction?"

The slight nod of his head signaled his agreement.

"So be it. First, ye need to understand that the realm of one's mind is exactly how you _think _it should be. Thoughts and feelings need not be expressed, they are felt by the receiving individual, that's you, Kagome. To better understand my meaning, think about the way you feel right before you begin to form a sentence you intend to say out loud in your mind. Before the words are analyzed, there is a _feeling _and with that feeling is the complex _understanding _of everything you wish to express.

"To begin, the three of you will lie down in a row next to each other, ensuring that some physical body contact is made with Kagome in the middle. Kagome's power will ensure the three of ye reach unconsciousness. Once you reach the dream realm, Kagome will begin to clean the girl's memory."

Once Kagome had spoken with Kaede about her own instructions and she felt confident in her own abilities, Sesshomaru summoned Rin and ordered her to lie next to Kagome on the mat Kaede had provided. He then took his own place and proceeded to entwine his fingers with her's.

Kagome was blushing madly at the thought that Sesshomaru was holding her hand and even though her eyes were closed in an attempt to concentrate, she could practically feel everyone else's thoughts fixed on his actions, as well.

Kaede's voice stilled her thoughts, the familiar scold bringing her back to reality. "Concentrate, child."

Within a few minutes, there was a flash of blue outlining the three forms on the ground of Kaede's hut, their combined deep breathing in sleep the only sign that Kagome had been successful.

It was beautiful. That was the first thing she thought, wading through fields of magnificent flowers, admiring the glint of light off a sparkling river. Beautiful yes, all except for the direction she was being tugged towards by some invisible sense.

All around her was color, vibrant and splendid, butterflies, blue skies, fluffy white clouds and then, just ahead, a black wood loomed. It was there that Rin and Sesshomaru waited.

The branches were dead, sharp things, thorny, with cobwebs littering them everywhere. She ran a hand to the back of her neck self-consciously as she eyed a particularly large spider above her.

The ground was littered with leaves and fallen tree limbs as black as the trunks they fell from. The light was dull here, the canopy blotting out the sun's rays.

A lone wolf howled in the distance. A twig snapped off to her right. "Creepy," she breathed, vowing to buy the little girl a Lisa Frank coloring book or something after this.

Passing a clearing, she caught sight of Rin and Sesshomaru. She was curled up in his lap as he leaned against a tree trunk, the bodies of several wolf carcasses littering the ground around them.

"I will always protect you," he was promising her and she smiled to herself as she carried on her way as quietly as she could.

The Citadel was not hard to find and this was where things would get tricky, because she could not take all of Rin's memories residing there away. She had to isolate only that one particular memory, which revolved primarily around the dungeons. Since she was certain Rin had only ever been in that part of the Citadel during this time, it would be safe to erase any memory she had from there entirely.

The overall process was really very simple. Walking down the steps, she paused just on the landing. From that point on, it was as if the room had been whited out. She drew a line that Rin's mind would not be able to cross and from that point on, she would no longer remember anything that happened beyond those steps.

The line was only just completed as she felt her consciousness waning, her concentration fading. Her surroundings blurred, merging, before going an effortless black.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :)**


	16. The Fiddle and the Drum

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

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Time passed easier with the return of their cheerful Rin and without the threat of Naraku and the jewel looming over their shoulders. The memory of the Karyu's viscous rape was erased and Rin's unconditional love and faith in her protector was restored. Everyone could breathe a little easier.

She and Shippo had become thick as thieves and spent their time playing games with the other village children under close supervision of the tachi. Sesshomaru kept an eye on her progress interacting with other humans and approved of her desire to develop the social skills needed to communicate with her own people. As a demon, he was painfully aware of the short amount of time he had before she blossomed into an adult. The very thought made him shudder in distaste as he veered his thoughts in another direction entirely.

The village of Edo was happy to see the familiar tachi camping out in their usual place by the well. They always felt safer with the group around and had even come to accept the presence of Sesshomaru as a protective and non-threatening addition to this congregation.

Many nights were spent with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru speaking heatedly by the fire about their plans to restore the Western Citadel now that their differences had been set aside long enough to communicate with each other. Miroku eventually began to join them in earnest and when Sango had let the idea slip to Kaede, the old priestess had slyly let it slip in turn to several of the village proper, who felt indebted to Inuyasha for his continued protection of their loved ones.

The slayer siblings spent much of their time training together and mourning over the loss of their people and family. They spent many hours comparing memories of times past, memories that had come so very close to never being shared with anyone ever again, which made them all the more precious. The topic of his shard had been grossly avoided as Sango instead veered their discussion to more positive things, like what kind of plans they had for the future.

She explained her feelings for Miroku and their desire to help Sesshomaru rebuild his stronghold in the West. Kohaku agreed to join them in its reconstruction and began to spread the word for any able-bodied men to volunteer. His campaign had more of an impact than anyone expected as word of Sesshomaru's request for aid spread like wildfire throughout the surrounding villages.

With in a few days time, they had a large encampment of human and demon volunteers alike willing to assist in the stronghold's reconstruction. With in a week, their numbers were bordering on thousands and the village of Edo was beginning to strain with the effort of trying to feed and house all of these volunteers.

If anyone was surprised by this response, it had been Inuyasha, as demon after demon, man after man took up the challenge issued because "Inuyasha saved our village," or "My great grandfather told us how Inuyasha saved our family long ago," or "He cleaned out the spider heads that took over that temple where my uncle was," and the list went on.

The bat demon clan had come because he saved Shiori and her mother, the Cat demons came because he'd saved their village and rescued their children, the fox demons came because he adopted Shippo, a fox kit and avenged his father in killing the Thunder brothers, then there was an influx of all kinds of men and demons alike who had come because he had freed them from the Thunder Brothers, Yura of the hair, or the Band of Seven, a host of other demons and of course, Naraku.

Koga and Ayame had apparently mated and brought both their clans together. Kagura and Kanna arrived with a host of other elemental demons and the tachi blanched at Kanna's natural red hair and green eyes. Of all things the void could have been, none of them had expected a Fire demoness. Together and freed from Naraku's grasp, the two of them made a formidable pair of Wind and Fire.

Many monks came from Miroku's influence and many miko alike came from Kagome's. Never had such a diverse race been gathered in such numbers that many who did not know their intentions would have thought they were building an army.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stood as leaders to this congregation and many bent a knee before them to swear their loyalty to the "New house of Taisho." Because their two silver heads stood for more than two dog demon brothers who had finally over come their differences and united, they stood as a lasting memory of their powerful house and the many kingdoms their blood had led to peace, prosperity and virtue. They stood as a sign of hope, as a promise of better times to come but most of all, they stood together as a bright beacon of the dawning age of a new era, an era where half and full bloods alike could mingle without the threat of bloodshed. They stood together with the race of humans, accepting their assistance without seeing it as a defiling weakness.

That monk and mikos could dine with full blooded demons in this cause in harmony with one another seemed to be the overlying theme of what everyone was volunteering to help rebuild. It seemed to be silently understood that all those here were fighting for the same team and the same cause.

Their forces moved to the burnt remains of the Western Citadel and began work at once.

The Elementals began the hardest task of clearing away what could not be saved. A small handful of Water demons were the first to step forward, their matching heads of bright blue hair making a wide circle around the remains of the stronghold as everyone else was asked to keep a safe distance.

The eldest among them was no older than Inuyasha was when he was first pinned to the Sacred Tree by Kikyo. She looked to be about seventeen in human years and had her hair pulled back in a high ponytail as she gave softly spoken but firm orders to the rest of them.

Kagome watched from her position next to Sesshomaru as they worked, awed by their ability to conjure water where none seemed to exist. Miroku hastened to explain in hushed tones how it actually worked by channeling the water from other places into their hands and guiding it where it needed to go but Kagome lost track of following him as the sight of a sparkling water dome erected itself around them.

Like the sound of a massive wave crashing against the shore, the bubble was released to send water crashing across the fortress like a river, having swept away the last of the soot and scorch marks left behind by the Karyu.

It spread out across the land and Kagome imagined she could feel the earth's hiss of satisfaction as it soaked up the badly needed moisture.

Kagura summoned a furious wind focused only on the Citadel to begin the drying process while most of the human men went with Inuyasha and other demon assistants to start the tedious task of cutting down trees, harvesting the wood and bringing it en mass to the fortress.

The Earth elementals got to work next, even the children helping to run merrily, leaving many green lines where their steps fell and the grass began to regrow behind them.

Everywhere Kagome looked, new life was being born as once the grass was grown, the little crew of green haired demons began growing trees of all kinds to full maturity. Flowers bloomed, fruit ripened and fell to grow new trees all in the space of a few moments.

In addition, all the trees removed from the wood were promptly regrown, leaving the surrounding forest untouched by the essentials needed to begin rebuilding.

The Water elementals had moved on, reforging the rivers and streams while Honeysuckle vines and blackberry bushed grew all around them in an intricate design that seemed to match some previously discussed pattern to flatter the appearance of the Citadel itself.

Even Totosai came to help, being a Fire demon himself and began to reforge the surrounding bedrock into stones worthy of becoming the walls and floors of the stronghold.

A camp was established by the women with Kikyo and Sango at the head in order to provide a place for the children to play safely and out of the way, to make bedding for the many people that would need sleep and to provide care for those wounded on the job. Together they worked as a well oiled machine with Sango and Kilala doing all the hunting and cleaning while Kikyo did all the cooking and sterilizing. Ayame and her pack of female wolf demons dove into the fray as well, setting up teams in charge of doing the laundry, cleaning the dishes and watching the children.

Kagome found herself at a bit of a loss in all the chaos. She did what she could to ensure her fellow mikos were provided and accounted for but aside from that she had no idea how else she could help.

Koga found her sitting on a log by a local stream, twirling the nearly-completed jewel through her fingers thoughtfully.

"Better not loose that," he remarked and smirked when she jumped at the sound of his voice. She gave him a flat look in response and turned her gaze back to where it was fixed on nothing before her.

He knew it was an invitation to sit down and he accepted with a relieved sigh as his sore muscles were put to rest.

Her scoff at his display was light hearted and teasing as she added, "Life as a prince is making you go soft."

He huffed his answer through a half smile. "It's true; I don't think I've ever worked this hard in my life."

She laughed genuinely at this statement and he allowed himself an amused half smile. Taking a breath, he began the question he had practiced in his mind over and over before seeking her out.

"Kagome, I need your help with something and you're the only one that can do it."

Her answering smile was not what he expected and his surprise must have shown on his face because she answered the unasked question for him. "I was just thinking that I've got to find a way to put myself to use around here or I was going to go crazy."

Without another word, he kneeled before her and she accepted by climbing onto his back. As they sprinted through the forest, his hands supporting her behind the knees, she found herself wondering how her and Koga hadn't ended up as an item but dismissed the thought when she recalled his endless 'claiming' of her as a means of irking Inuyasha into a brawl and snorted into his shoulder with laughter.

They arrived in a small wooded clearing a good ways from the fortress before what appeared to be an abandoned hut. As the residents of said hut began to emerge from their hiding place, Kagome sucked in a breath next to Koga.

"So, as you can see, this is a problem I will be needing your specific...expertise with," Koga declared as she tried to absorb the picture of an entire Karyu family before her.

Their clothes hung in rags around them, their eyes told of their hunger and lack of sleep and the two children at their knees looked close to starving to death.

The father of the clan stepped forward and fell to his knees before her. His voice was a deep rumble like all the dragons of his kind but she could hear the hoarseness of his despair as he spoke. The story he wove chilled her to her very core.

Seiryu, their former king, had crawled his way back to his lands after being pumped with a full dose of Sesshomaru's poison. In acting against the Elder of his clan's wishes by laying siege to the Western Citadel, they had shown him no mercy and instead, left him to die slowly by Sesshomaru's poison. The Tribunal had also declared that all those who had followed their King be sentenced to die in the hopes that this action would deter the Taishos from seeking their vengeance.

The father went on to explain how the same Tribunal had supported Seiryu before this and this order of execution included most if not all the surrounding families. Chaos had ensued after the order was declared to the city and their family had only just managed to escape. They sought refuge in the one place they had any hope of being accepted which happened to be the same place their kind had destroyed.

Kagome did not like their chances before Sesshomaru's wrath and knew why Koga had brought her here. She was the only one who could bring him round to this topic and hopefully get him to accept this family into his protection.

Her eyes met Koga's and he knew the weight they carried, the weight of what he was asking her. "This is going to cost you," she said grimly, knowing he would understand that even without giving her the shards, she would have done everything in her power to keep the family protected.

He sighed deeply and shrugged. "You know, I've spent so much time worrying about loosing them to some other foe that giving them up of my own free will kind of seems...relieving," he admitted before kneeling. The shards were free in a matter of seconds and resting in her hands the very next moment.

Kagome's eyes shined with gratitude and pride. She laid her hand on his shoulder and quietly asked the Kami their approval of this blessing. "I have seen so many struggle to relinquish their shards, Koga. I've seen so much blood spilled in order to keep them. That you do so without hesitation says a great deal about the strength you already possess."

As she said this, he felt the place in his shins where his shards used to be beginning to warm. The sensation moved up his body and ended with his head before subsiding.

Kagome smiled at the question on his face. "The Kami have blessed you with a swiftness your previous speed cannot match as a reward for passing this test." His shocked face and countenance only exaggerated her amusement.

She took her leave after assuring the Karyu family she'd do her best to see them fall under the Taisho brothers' protection.

It was no secret that Koga sought her allegiance in this because of her position at Sesshomaru's side. Her cheeks tinged at the thought, remembering the many heated glances they'd shared over the fire. There was no doubt of his intentions and with Inuyasha suddenly supporting him on all fronts including this one, Kagome found herself going along quite happily.

So far, however, they had never been alone together since that time before killing Naraku, preferring to spend their time in the company of Rin or the others as it served to ease the tension between them.

Sitting at the fire with a hot bowl of stew in her hands, she glanced through her lashes at the demon lord lying at her side with one knee drawn up to his chest. One hand rested casually across his bent knee, his set of amber eyes trained on his ward cheerfully eating and chatting with Shippo across the camp.

Her gaze must have strayed too long because suddenly he was looking at her and the moment their eyes met she felt her shocked 'eep' long before she could suppress it. Blushing madly, she raced her gaze back to the fire, thinking she could eat through the awkwardness if they both just pretended it hadn't happened.

Then, the most remarkable thing happened and she nearly choked on her stew in surprise. Without hearing or seeing him move a muscle, she suddenly felt his hand ghost across her's before landing in a firm grip. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she thoughtlessly squeezed back, wondering if he knew what that idle thumb of his was capable of doing to her as it lazily grazed across the top her hand.

With a gulp, she decided it was now or never. She may not get a more opportune moment what with everything going on. Stamping down the anxiety she felt, the words had passed her lips before she had time to think about them.

"I would speak with you," he heard her mummer softly and rose his gaze to meet her's questioningly.

"Alone," she clarified quickly, biting her lip as the heat flushed across her face. As his gaze narrowed almost imperceptively, she quickly backtracked in embarrassment, seeing the path his mind had taken. "Not like that!" she exclaimed hurriedly, hating how poorly she had delivered this request.

His calm "Hnnn" of response and the warming of his eyes with amusement and something else she couldn't quite name made her eyes widen and it was only when his thumb resumed its stroking of her hand that she sucked in a breath, not realizing she had been holding it until then.

"A walk after dinner, then?" His question was whispered softly against the shell of her ear and she closed her eyes tightly against the sensation even as a slight draft of wind announced his immediate departure from her side.

Her eyes followed the path he took carefully, making note of the particular trail he wished her to follow before finishing her dinner and casually announcing that she was off to bathe. Since the stream was off in the direction he had ventured, no one even so much as looked twice in her direction as she followed after Sesshomaru.

The trail led her to a small clearing by a stream, where she found him standing under the light of the full moon, his white attire and hair actually glowing slightly with its light. She felt captivated in his honeyed gaze and did not object when his arms drew her against him but leaned forward in bliss when his lips claimed her's.

Razor sharp claws sent tingles racing down her spine as they gently threaded through her hair, admiring the inky black tresses and the sensation they caused as they slipped through his deadly fingers.

Pulling himself away from her, he growled against her lips heatedly. "I would make you mine," he rumbled against her as she eyed his engorged fangs with hunger, licking her lips without thought of her actions and gasping as his hands found her hips, pulling her thrush against him.

His arousal was quite plain for her to feel through the silk fabric and she whimpered her own need as her hips pushed against him, subconsciously seeking relief. This was rewarded with another passionate kiss from him as her aura sparkled with welcome around them, yearning for his touch.

His kisses had moved down to her neck and shoulders, focusing on the sensitive joint where the two met. His fangs grazed lightly across the surface, teasing her as the heavy pressure of his aura threatened to bind itself with her's.

The action was a question and Kagome knew this moment was crucial. If she pulled away, she was basically saying she did not desire him as a mate. The only way to accept his proposal was to give him as much access as she could, which she found herself doing without much thought. His lips and tongue, his fangs against her skin made her feel so good that her head was rolling to the side instantly and vaguely she registered the fact that they had somehow made it into a lying down position, although her memory of that happening was rather foggy.

Her actions must have been deemed acceptable to Sesshomaru as he responded in kind with an approving rumble that sounded suspiciously like a "Hnn" only his mouth was occupied with her flesh.

When he pulled away, she whimpered at the lack of contact only to find her right hand had been taken in his. She watched with wide eyes as he brought the inside of her wrist to his mouth and began to kiss and lathe the area like he had done her neck. She felt the tips of his fangs again and closed her eyes against the sensation, subconsciously encouraging his actions by pushing her wrist towards him as the weight of his powerful aura slid across her's so enticingly again. Only this time, he did not pull away, but never left her gaze as his fangs pierced her flesh, sliding into place as her copper blood filled his mouth.

The sound of their hearts beating together was all she could hear as his aura suddenly flooded into her's, supporting it in a bubble of warmth. She felt herself go rigid in his grasp, the grip on her wrist increasing tenfold as her eyes began to blur. Their hearts were racing together now as their auras began to twine against each other and she moaned against the sensation even as he was pulling away, lathing at the two puncture wounds with his tongue.

She hadn't even had time to register their closing before he was between her legs, taking her lips with his again and she felt her steadying heart begin to race once more.

"You are mine," he growled possessively, amber eyes tinged with pink, kissing her wrist and it was only then that she noticed the two puncture wounds had closed over to reveal a dark blue, crescent moon. His arousal pressing against her core distracted her, however as she found he was back to teasing her neck with little suckling kisses and slight grazes from his fangs. Each time they threatened to push past the barrier of flesh between them and her blood, she felt herself moaning and her legs spreading to admit him.

His hand had found the ties to her hakama and they swiftly undid the knot at her waist.

"This Sesshomaru would know your taste," was all he said before delving between her thighs and she cried out as she felt his mouth down there, his expert tongue sliding into her quivering slit while his arms held her trembling knees apart where they would try to close against the sensation.

He drank her in hungrily as only a demon could, tasting her, scenting her and committing every sensation to memory. He took his time exploring every part of her, every curve, every dip, approving of this reaction here and that reaction there until she was a quivering, moaning mess in his arms.

Her mewls of pleasure were driving him wild as she bucked up against him, muttering incoherent things like, "Don't stop," and "Please.." and even the occasional attempt at his name, though it only came out as a slurred, "Sessho...maru..."

Focusing his attention on her clit, his hand came up and delved one finger into her slit, beginning to pump in and out slowly while his tongue lathed her bundle of nerves.

The rise was swift and had her locking both hands tightly against his head, pulling him closer as she released in a flurry of spasmodic muscles and quivering thighs.

Sesshomaru hummed his approval as her juices flowed, sweet and slick, against his tongue and he licked appreciatively at her taste until there was no more to be had before reluctantly pulling away. She watched as he licked his lips while handing her back her hakamas and shivered slightly as she dressed.

Once she successfully remembered how to tie the knot at her waist, she was pulled from behind to lay against his chest under a newly-grown tree, staring up at the full moon.

She let several long moments pass before she was content with breaking the comfortable silence between them and broaching the topic she had been gearing up to have with him since that afternoon.

Thinking the direct approach with him was probably the best, she got right to meat of the matter. "A Karyu family has approached me with the desire of gaining your protection. I have heard their story and judge them to be sincere."

A slight pause and then her wrist was lifted to his lips again. "If my intended mate believes them to be sincere," he whispered against the sensitive mark that seemed to respond to his touch with a tingling of pleasure, "Than this Sesshomaru finds them sincere. I will accept them under my protection."

Her smile was radiant at his lack of hesitation and she felt all her worries over the matter slipping away as he briefly captured her lips in his.

But there was more to this situation that she needed to discuss with him and so she plowed ahead, hoping she wasn't pushing her luck. "I sense a great turmoil coming from their lands," she confessed, looking off in that direction thoughtfully and she knew he would know she was speaking of the Karyu and the city they resided. Briefly, she told him the father's story of Seiryu's fate and the execution of the other families.

"I feel my powers urging me there and I fear I will not rest until the matter is resolved. I want to go there and sort them out, no one will even miss me while I'm gone and then I can come back here afterwards-"

"No."

His response had been so short and curt that for a moment he sounded like the old Sesshomaru, the cold, disdainful one. He must have sensed her tension, because his next words were softened somewhat. "It's too dangerous to go alone, even I would not simply walk past their gates. I cannot stop our progress here on the Citadel to attend a side mission and I will not risk your life for their sake. They deserve much worse than this," he reminded her gently of their crimes but despite his attempt to lessen the blow, she felt a lump gathering in her throat as tears stung her eyes. This was how things were going to be, then. With him telling her what she could and couldn't do and underestimating her powers.

Her further silence must have alerted him to her growing distress because his arms squeezed a little in reassurance as he conceded, "Perhaps, once some of the more taxing parts of the reconstruction has completed, I will reconsider forming a group to go and deal with the Karyu."

She responded with a kiss on the cheek and a smile but inside, she was furious.

When it was time for bed, Kagome went without complaint and waited until she was sure everyone else was fast asleep before masking herself. The process was a lot like building a barrier in that the trick was in containing her energy. Once she had it down to a low hum, she began to focus on fading, drifting, becoming insubstantial until her form had disappeared completely to any onlooker, along with her scent.

Without a sound, she drifted across the camp, no more than a gust a wind to where Kilala lay by the fire. The Neko's red eyes opened as she reached out with her mind and explained what she wanted to do, making sure to reveal how dangerous the mission was.

The cat mewled in her kitten form, following the invisible drift of wind to the forest, where Kagome reappeared, gasping for breath. Kilala transformed and within moments, they were flying off into the night sky, headed straight for the Karyu's lands.

The night sky spread out before her beautifully, full of twinkling stars and a full moon swelling on the horizon to light her way. She could swear she could feel that moonlight sinking into the pores of her skin, energizing her.

The river that separated the Western lands from the Eastern was just up ahead. She knew it served as the borderline between Sesshomaru's lands and the Karyu, meaning that the moment they passed it they would be in Karyu lands. As they passed the great watery barrier into blackened, scorched plains, Kilala rumbled her reassurance as Kagome once again felt that bitter pull on her soul where the earth cried out in pain.

The Black City was a hard one to miss even from this distance. It loomed before her on an open plain and there was no way she could mask her arrival as they would see her coming for miles. She knew all of this and tried to keep her heart from hammering away in her chest.

Their fortress was made of black steel, giving it the sturdiness required for dragons to land without ripping it apart and to withstand various bouts of fire or frost, whatever the dragon's specialty. Even the architecture looked viscous and sharp as every tower came to a serrated, pointy edge like massive knives suspended in the sky.

She brought Kilala down in the shadows cast by the fortress and dismounted, once again masking her core as she approached the gates. Two guards stood at the entrance in black armor at full attention while four more watched from the wall above.

She passed through easily, taking great care to remain invisible as she entered the courtyard. Some commotion seemed to be going on as many had gathered in a large crowd in the center, looking up at a raised platform where a withered looking Karyu was giving a bored speech.

"-And so, after much debate, it has been decided that the last remaining offspring of Seiryu be sentenced to death here before the Eastern Citadel for crimes which their father committed as a blood sacrifice that we hope will set an example for following leaders to come who would consider going against the wishes of this Tribunal."

At that, two small, wriggling masses were brought forward and as they were laid together in the light before the gathered fire, Kagome felt her jaw drop. Two newly-born twins, less than a week old and solid white cried pitifully for their mother in the growls and squeaks that made up the Karyu language. From the story she had heard earlier, that mother had been slain back when Seiryu first arrived back at the city.

The Elder that had been speaking before stepped forward, brandishing a sharp dagger that glinted in the light of the moon and she felt horror bloom in her chest. Before she could even think about what she was doing, she had unmasked her form until all attention was moved to the growing holy energy in their midst.

The wind suddenly picked up in a fierce breeze and she allowed it carry her onto the platform, making her way swiftly to where the two Karyu babies were being held. Two well placed gusts of wind had knocked the Tribunal to fall backwards as she gathered the two dragons to her chest, casting a scolding glare on her audience.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves! All this bloodshed and for what? To answer the orders of a handful of grumpy old dragons? Wake up, the lot of you!" she shouted at them and the flash of lightening and boom of thunder answering to her fury made her seem all the more formidable.

She knew she should not be making a scene like this but her anger had gotten the better of her and she couldn't help giving them a piece of her mind. The mother in her could not just sit back and watch as two innocent children were murdered, demon or not. She would gladly give her very life any day to avoid just that.

Softening her features, she took a deep breath and while the Karyu around her were still too shocked by her presence to attack, she encased the fortress in a flashing barrier, one that held the images of her mind like a television screen.

It took a great to deal of power to manifest and even more concentration to maintain but Kagome was going for shock factor, here, in a last-ditch effort to impart the need for peace before Sesshomaru brought bloodshed to their doorstep.

She pulled from the darkest memories of the Karyu around her for this demonstration, seeking out the worst, most hidden secrets. Explosions and screams littered the air as Karyu fought Karyu, as their own race fought against other races, waged pointless wars, laid siege to lands that had done them no wrong. She did not hold back. She showed the faces of the dead children, children lost in the bloodshed they were so famous for.

She showed them the pain they had caused, the graves that had been dug for the dead killed in their name. She showed them the mothers weeping over those graves, their lives rent in two forever.

She reached deep within herself to the powers that lay dormant and pushed with her aura gently in a silent request to awaken, to cast their judgement. She felt that power rise within her like a mighty beast and felt when her mind was accosted with memories not her own to a time when the Karyu had been a peaceful race, long before power had swollen their heads and the lust for more land had driven them to war.

She showed all of this on her barrier-screen, of a time when their kind had prospered, when their kings held many allegiances to other lands by an oath of honor. Then, she flashed forward to years later, when their rulers turned on those in that same allegiance in cold blood. She showed how Seiryu had poisoned Ponyo, Sesshomaru's cousin, before their wedding.

The image of Rin's rape was cast on the screen as well, the memory she had taken from the girl and placed within herself to bare that pain forever if necessary for her sake. There was a collective gasp as they watched him strike her across the head, sending her face cracking against the stone before he began to rut her forcefully.

She could hear the sobbing now, not just from herself but the little dragons in her arms and out in the crowd, too, she could see females and males alike crying openly at the sight as their terrible history was conveyed through the screen along with all the terrible mistakes their race had made in their lust for power.

The screen flickered and showed a team of dragons burning an entire village of cat demons to the ground, their bodies writhing in the fire and their screams deafening.

An image of a female Karyu crying over the tortured remains of her son in this very Citadel, followed by the sight of said Karyu being tortured by his own people for trying to secretly save the children of one village. He had been found treasonous for his actions and had been executed but not until they had tortured him for days.

Silence fell as the barrier nullified, leaving them once again open to the night air and the light of the moon. The Elder that had been speaking before suddenly seemed to find his voice as he shouted, "Release the Black Riders!"

One female screamed aloud at this declaration in fright and even the other guards at his side looked uneasy. One Karyu stepped up furiously. "You've gone too far! This ends now!"

And the fighting broke out. It appeared as if everyone was against the Tribunal as the Elders began to slowly walk backwards, facing the unruly crowd, until even soldiers themselves joined in the fray. Revolution for the Karyu was at hand.

Just as the Elders were apprehended, however, there was a great shaking of the ground and Kagome felt as the earth was rent in two somewhere nearby, followed by a great and terrible shrieking.

The Karyu male that had spoken before approached her, his face ashen. "The Black Riders have your scent. Run," he said gravely and when her expression told of her confusion, he shouted at her, "RUN, NOW!" Just as as the screeching roar sounded again, this time close enough to burst her eardrums.

"Kilala!" she cried as she ran for the gate, still clutching the two babies gently in her hands and holding them to her chest. The Fire Neko gave a great roar as she landed before her and she hastily climbed onto her back, shouting, "Go, Kilala, as fast as you can!" Knowing she would understand.

They were soaring through the air in seconds and Kagome got a good look at what perused them. Six black dragons, more massive than Seiryu had dreamed of being, were close on their tail. But there was something different about these dragons from the rest of the Karyu. They seemed to fly faster and each of them exuded a cloud of dark miasma. In no time at all they were gaining on them and Kagome did what she could with the wind to aid Kilala in her flight, not having the hands to do much else as she held the two dragons to her chest.

Despite her efforts, the dragons were gaining on them quickly and as another screech ripped the air, the tiny babies in her hands trembled. One of them growled and hissed and somehow she interpreted the sound to mean,_ 'Dead dragon,' _but couldn't understand how she knew that.

As they drew closer, she felt the first fear spike through her heart as she understood what they were trying to tell her. These dragons were already dead, animated with some dark magic. Their jaws held teeth of massive proportions, dripping with acidic saliva as they drew closer and closer.

She leaned forward to whisper in Kilala's ear and the Fire Neko obeyed instantly, dropping low to fly just over the tree tops. All six dragons released fire breath at once and it was in that moment that Kagome understood why they were so formidable. In addition to fire, which Kilala was able to dodge, they spit a dark miasma worse than Naraku had ever used in all directions. The dark cloud soon engulfed them making it impossible to see but what was worse, it drained Kagome of her holy power, making her weak and afraid.

She poured the last of her power into a small, protective barrier around the baby dragons that kept them attached to her chest should her grasp fail and began to pray. The miasma had her so weak she was barely hanging on while another ear splitting shriek very close to her head had tears coming to her eyes as she realized she might not make it through this.

Remembering her night with Sesshomaru and their fight, it seemed so inconsequential now. Her anger drained away at her desire to see him again. Tears made tracks down her cheeks even as her grip on Kilala faltered and she felt her body falling through the night air.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel**


	17. Blood

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha  
_

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_**Flashback**  
_

_~ 'Kagome poured the last of her power into a small, protective barrier around the baby dragons that kept them attached to her chest should her grasp fail and began to pray. The miasma had her so weak she was barely hanging on while another ear splitting shriek very close to her head had tears coming to her eyes as she realized she might not make it through this._

_'Remembering her night with Sesshomaru and their fight, it seemed so inconsequential now. Her anger drained away at her desire to see him again. Tears made tracks down her cheeks even as her grip on Kilala faltered and she felt herself falling through the night air.' ~_

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The plummet was longer than she expected, allowing her the time to see Kilala in her kitten form above her as the weight of her own body and the dragons pulled her down at a higher velocity.

There was a searing pain in her wrist and then a violent lurch as their descent to the ground halted unexpectedly. Sharp stones dug into the flesh of her back painfully.

Tiny mewls of high pitched protest drew her eyes down and she sighed with relief to see the baby dragons were still protected by the barrier and unharmed. Only there was so much blood. Why was there so much blood?

And then all her senses blurred as the pain tore across her midsection, as a set of claws raked across her face, as her brain acknowledged the dragon claw piercing her through the stomach and pinning her to the rock face of the cliff. She tried to breathe in order to scream but her lungs would not cooperate. The taste of crimson filled her mouth and she coughed against the rush, feeling the warm liquid spill down her face.

As her vision began to blur, she could hear it. The very ground shook with a resounding roar and she did not have to remove her hands from her bleeding midsection to know that the moon mark on her wrist was a bright red even without the blood that covered her pale skin. It _burned _and was probably the only thing keeping her conscious.

_'Sesshomaru...'_

Her eyes fluttered as she began to weaken. Tilting her head back to rest on the rock face behind her, she regarded her enemy. The rotting dragon's lifeless gaze remained fixed on his prey, every feature set with a rigid stillness. The pale ivory of his iris was blank, completely empty of consciousness. As his five remaining companions shrieked their warnings above him, most likely to Sesshomaru's previous outcry, the Karyu before her growled low in his throat and she felt the poison pushed into her system like a wave of corrosive acid.

This time, she found the air to scream. The shrill sound rang off the cliff face even as her veins ran black. Storm clouds grew in response to her pain to blot out the dawning sun and the rain began to pour in great, grey sheets all around them.

A release of pressure signaled the claw had been removed and with it, all that was holding them aloft. As she fell, her bloodied hands cradled the barrier, thankful that it, at least, would hold out.

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel :) Don't be mad about the cliff hanger, I have another chapter coming really soon but I needed to break them up. **


	18. Collective Effort

_Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha_

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It was dark. The clouds overhead masked the coming dawn with rainclouds while rumbles of thunder crashed and threatened the chance of an angry storm.

Kikyo was no fool. As a trained miko, she was skilled already in listening to the voice of her own instincts. Becoming Inu had heightened that awareness and connection. So when the normally carefully contained and composed Sesshomaru snarled viciously at dawn, awakening nearly everyone at camp only to immediately transform and depart with Inuyasha, several loyal men and other demons trailing after him, she had anticipated that injuries might occur.

Padding over to the section of the encampment the wolves had favored, the flash of orange directed her steps to find the wolf queen, Ayame, already awake.

"Oh good, I hoped I wouldn't wake you."

"Pfft," Ayame snorted, a hand on her hip. "As if anyone could sleep through that? Not to mention Kouga jumped out of bed like a frog and was gone before I could so much as ask what was going on."

The wolf queen and new fledgling Inu had bonded over the last few months as they shared in their responsibilities of keeping everyone fed, clean and healthy. Ayame was also able to help Kikyo through her transition in ways that Inuyasha could not and they had both grown to enjoy each others company.

Kikyo nodded her response gravely. "I don't know what they're after but there are bound to be some injuries. Would you mind helping me set up in the main circle? I'd like to have some herbs and poultices ready and I might need someone to help if things get too bad."

"Of course," Ayame conceded with a smile and they chatted idly as they set up what was being referred to as the 'main circle' with mats, dried herbs and fresh water. Ayame even requested that some of the other female wolves of the pack come to assist.

Kagura and Kanna, along with a handful of other elementals, came to see what all the commotion was about. Kikyo brewed some tea and the woman sat around chatting and sipping their drinks, discussing their theories on what might have happened.

Ayame complained about the bother while Kikyo voiced the foreboding feeling of worry she felt. As they chatted, her eyes swept over the main circle, ensuring that she had all the supplies she would need to tend to the injured. She was just about to suggest they acquire more linens when a strong scent appeared on the air. It seemed to demand her attention, sharp and acrid and when she glanced around the circle, she could see the grave faces of the demonesses around her. They smelt it, too.

Kikyo was the first to stand. "Blood," she whispered fervently and felt a wave of fear wash over her.

Ayame, knowing that Kikyo was still a fledgling in her demon body, answered her unasked question. "It's Kagome's."

The next moments flew by in a whirlwind of chaos and absolute terror. Inuyasha came crashing through the brush with the body of their friend hanging limp and pale in his arms. The blood from her injuries rushed over his forearms, staining his horai and dripping on to the ground.

"Help her, help her _please_," he cried, his gruff voice breaking with panic on the last word. The women surged and then crowded around Inuyasha, gently prying her body from his and guided by Kikyo's sharp orders.

"Give us some room!" she barked sternly as she forced the crowd to part and give her the space she needed to work.

"She's been poisoned," Kikyo intoned as she examined the state of her veins going black. "Karyu poison. It's strong. Her powers should be able to handle that though, if we can just-"

Here, she paused as she eyed the twin white dragons protected by a barrier attached to Kagome's chest. "I need a miko!"

"Here!" A young woman called, rushing forward. Kikyo exhaled with relief at her quick response. "Do you know how to break a barrier?"

"Of course," the young woman announced and quickly nullified the barrier. The twin white Karyu babies rushed forward to settle at Kagome's head.

Kikyo and the others paid them no mind as she dove over Kagome's body, hissing as she realized the battle outfit underneath her kimono wrap was all in one piece. It was of the slayer's construct, one she wasn't familiar with. The dragon's claw had torn straight through it and in order to get to the wound she would have to get it off without jostling Kagome and making things worse.

It was then that Sango came crashing through the crowd. "Kagome? Kagome! _WHAT HAPPENED_?" Miroku tried to catch her hand before the hysterical woman could rush forward but he wasn't quick enough.

Kikyo gave her a stern look, a reminder to calm down and do as she was told. "Sango, we have to get this attire off of her to get to her wound, do you know how?" she asked and the slayer jumped to the task, peeling away the layers with expertise and care to reveal a very large, gaping wound.

The surrounding women gasped as her injuries were revealed. The hole was large, her flesh literally ripped open and blackened while the blood seemed to gush in volumes too large to keep anyone alive. Her skin was getting paler by the second and Kikyo worried her lip between her fangs.

Her hands shook as she held a stack of linens tightly against the wound in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. They ran red almost immediately while Kikyo replaced them with another and another. Amber eyes found Inuyasha's and the sad look he found there made his blood run cold. She couldn't save her.

There was a hissing as the women broke out into whispers as they witnessed the exchange. The miko was going to die and there was nothing any of them could do.

Sango burst into tears over her friend's body, Inuyasha turned away with his hand over his mouth to hide his shock, while Miroku began to pray. Kohaku stood off to the side, his one hand clenched around Shippo's with Rin at the other and he struggled to hold them back as they screamed and cried and sobbed, trying to make a run for their surrogate mother.

Ayame ordered her wolves back and the women retreated to give the tachi some space. If Kagome was going to die, at least she could die around all of her friends.

Kanna left Kagura's side to pad softly over to Sango's position. Her bright red hair caught the slayer's attention and she glanced up in time to see the small Fire demon place a crystal necklace around Kagome's head, settling the stone right over her heart.

The little girl looked at her and Sango felt the warmth of her gaze like tiny embers and could not believe she had once been a child of the void.

A set of tiny, pale hands grasped Kikyo's blood-stained, shaking ones and gently pried them away from pressing against the wound. Kanna's soft voice was just as airy as Kikyo remembered from when the child had been a pawn of Naraku's but this time it was tinged with sadness.

"There is something I would like to try."

Sango felt her jaw drop. "You can save her?"

"What do speak of, child?" Kikyo demanded. Kagura laid a hand on her shoulder and Kikyo spun around to come face to face with the Wind Witch. "She speaks the truth. We may be able to save her. I will need a miko to volunteer."

"I will," the young girl from before immediately agreed. A flush creeped into her cheeks as everyone looked at her. "My name is Ari."

"Good," Kagura praised. "I will also require one Earth and one Fire elemental demon."

A girl around the age of seventeen stepped forward, her dark blue hair piled into a high ponytail marking her as a Water demon.

"My name is Amayah and I volunteer myself for this task."

A little boy with bright green hair appearing to be no older than ten stepped forward next.

"My name is Hachi and I would also like to volunteer for this task."

"Perfect. Quickly now, I will need all of my volunteers to make a circle around our friend there. Can someone do something with these dragons?"

At that declaration, the two white Karyu twins spit and screeched, their little backs arced like a cat's when frightened as if they had understood her. They were obviously not happy about having to leave Kagome's side.

Kagura leaned down until her ruby eyes were very close, her expression one of stern reprimand. "If you two could understand all that then I know you can understand our need to save our friend. If you don't want to get hurt, get back."

Reluctantly, the two brothers stalked away, casting scathing glances at the Wind Witch over their backs as they moved but settled at a spot still close enough to see everything that was happening.

The circle was made, hands were outstretched before each of them with their palms facing Kagome. Ari the priestess at the head stood in poise.

Kikyo clung to Inuyasha, Sango clung to Miroku while Shippo and Rin clung to Kohaku. All held their breath.

"Kagome is a child of all the elements," Kagura explained patiently. "Her body contains both holy power and elemental powers. What I want you to do is channel your energy forward. Do not be concerned with harming her. The necklace contains a pocket of her own purifying energy. Once our combined powers hit, it will crack and the energy will be released. Do NOT stop pushing your powers forward when it bursts. Everyone ready?"

The circle nodded gravely, eying the small figure in their midst growing paler by the second. Her heartbeat was growing softer.

"Now!"

Kagura released the white wind from her palms, Kanna released red fire, Amayah released a blue stream of water, Hachi sent a jet of green while Ari released a bright pink line of miko light.

The five streams moved from their subjects to the center and it was Miroku that made the connection between the shape they made and the symbol on Kagome's forehead. A circle with five lines moving towards the center.

Soon, the white light that had begun to build in the center where Kagome lay could not be tolerated by the naked eye. It grew and grew until the sound of glass shattering was heard and then the circle was thrown back forcefully against the ground.

The crowd gasped collectively as Kagome's body was found hovering in the air surrounded by a dome of light. She was now completely naked and void of any injuries, her pale skin flawless once again save for the scars on each side of her face where the dragon had raked his claws across it. She had three white lines on each cheek now which seemed to go rather well with her blue-marked eye lids and the black symbol on her forehead.

Her body was gently lowered to the ground, where Kikyo waited with a blanket. She placed it over her shoulders as Kagome slowly blinked awake.

Her voice was hoarse as she croaked, "What happened?"

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**AN: Reviews are my fuel. Sugaroo, you know I love you :D**


	19. The Battle

Sesshomaru had been dozing when it happened. A rare thing for a taiyoukai, to let his guard down so completely. He could not remember the last time he had slept so deeply without critical injury making it necessary and unavoidable. No, this sleep had come from the ease of content he felt after marking his intended, watching his Citadel rise from the ashes like a phoenix to become even stronger than it had been before and for gaining more allies to unify the land that had for so long been cast into such turmoil.

Never had his senses been so at ease until the soft breeze hit his face, carrying with it the scent of blood and a faint whisper of his name from a voice he would recognize anywhere.

_'Sessho...maru...'_

The moon mark on his forehead burned a bright red with the rage that filled his blood in the instant he realized how wounded and hurt his intended was. Her powers were weak and faded, dangerously close to death and mixed with her scent on the wind came the over powering stench of rot and decay, scorched bone and poison. The Black Riders had been released.

Of course she had gone despite his wishes. He should have known she would not be able to resist. Her heart was too soft to ignore the call to help. He should have foreseen this. And now her desire to help may well lead to her demise.

He could feel her pain, her fear and her desperation raking across his heart like claws. Thunder crashed on the horizon, _her _thunder and he could see a sheet of rain in the distance, signalling her location.

A taiyoukai would rarely in their lives feel fear and most when faced with such a foreign sensation did not know how else to express that emotion save for rage and fury. As it turned out, Sesshomaru was no different.

The very bowels of the earth trembled as his fangs lengthened, claws outstretched, his form lined in red in response to his blood lust before shooting towards the sky to become one massive white dog demon. His fear for his intended mate had allowed him to do something he had only done maybe twice in his lifetime: He relinquished his control over his Beast. Whatever had caused Kagome such pain would surely deserve whatever fate the Beast envisioned for them.

The rest of the Citadel was awakened the moment their Lord transformed.

Inuyasha did not need any kind of explanation to know that whatever caused his brother to react in such a way must be severe enough to warrant the attention of every able-bodied demon or mortal within the vicinity.

Acting as a kind of general, he withdrew the fang at his hip as a kind of war cry and held it above his head. The demonic energy inside the blade released in a brilliant wave of yellow light to reveal Tetsusaiga's true form. If Sesshomaru's transformation had not gotten their attention, the red-clad hanyou with his furious expression and the legendary, giant fang of Inu-no-Taisho raised above his head certainly did.

Kouga had his wolf pack organized within seconds. In a matter of minutes, a large congregation of Elementals, Cat youkai, monks and priestesses, Kitsune, mortals, Bat youkai and even a few Karyu families had assembled before his uplifted fang.

Inuyasha turned his back on them and gestured with the point of the massive blade towards the black clouds in the distance where his brother's large, white form moved like a swift cloud against the darkness.

He could also smell Kagome's blood now and at that realization he felt his claws grip the handle of his sword tighter than necessary.

"If any one of you die with a clean set of claws, I'll rape your fucking corpse!" he snarled before sprinting behind his brother and leading an army behind him.

Sesshomaru arrived at the mountainside just as the Karyu Rider released Kagome, sending her bloodied, unconscious body plummeting to the ground.

Moko-moko was able to wrap around her form just in time before she hit, settling her gently on the forest floor beneath him instead. In the next instant, he had the first Black Rider pinned against the cliff face in much the same way as it had done his intended only moments before.

His claws pierced through the soft, rotten flesh of the dragon's stomach, pumping it with his own unique type of poison. But the dragon, already being dead, seemed only to grin in his face before belting fire and miasma, singing his fur and burning his eyes.

The other five attacked in the same instant. With his eyes blinded, one pulled him back from the neck with its claws, sending him belly up, which left his torso completely exposed to the other four. One locked his jaws around a hind leg and with a sickening crack, broke it in half.

It was a blur of black and white limbs that rocketed from the sky to the forest floor as the six dragons converged on the ball of white. They covered his massive body from view, their torn, black wings spread out as he hit the ground and their mouths descended to feast on him alive.

Inuyasha heard the sound of his brother's excruciating roars of pain from a distance and it broke something inside him. Never had he heard his brother make such noises in his lifetime and it left him slightly shaken to the core. Sesshomaru could _not _be hurt but as he and the others crashed onto the scene, it was the shock of this very reality that left them standing completely still for precious seconds.

It was Kouga that broke the silence with a cry of fury, running pell-mell into the fray, locking his jaws around a wing and pulling it with a loud _'snap'_ clean off. Black blood oozed from the broken appendage, smelling rancid and sick, burning through the foliage.

The dragon, feeling no pain, turned, grinned, and spat fire. As the others dodged, a cloud of black miasma spewed into the air.

His wolves needed no encouragement. They leapt with their leader into the battle and that's when the real fighting began.

While the monks and priestesses made a large diameter around the fight, purifying the miasma as it came forth and creating a barrier so the Black Riders could not be freed, all other demons sprinted into the battle. It was decided early on that since they could not kill the dragons, they would simply dismember them, limb from limb.

But the miasma was designed to weaken holy energy and after a time, the mortals with their holy powers became useless. They could not sustain a barrier, their sutras were burned by the poisonous acid, their holy arrows useless against such a large wave of black energy.

Many of Kouga's wolves laid injured on the ground within a matter of moments, too wounded to fight anymore.

A few Earth Elementals had managed to combine their powers in order to confine a single dragon by burying it in a crater but this technique bought them little time as the Rider simply burst forth a few moments later and they were forced to retreat, having used up their stores of energy for the time being.

The bat youkai took to the sky, clawing and pulling at the Riders from above but they were no match for the bouts of flame and spent most of their time dodging and retreating.

The Kitsune were equally no match, their power revolving mostly around tricks that did not work on the undead.

All the while, no progress was made in freeing Sesshomaru, who remained trapped in the middle, his growls of pain fallen completely silent.

During all of this, the rain continued to fall, the thunder crashing and it was this storm that reminded Inuyasha to scan the ground floor, leaping from tree to tree. Finally, he spotted a fluffy ball of white with the tiny, battered form of Kagome wrapped inside it. The sight of her made his heart sink and he gathered her gently against his chest, allowing Sesshomaru's moko-moko to fall to the mud before sprinting off towards the Citadel, knowing Sesshomaru would want her out of harm's way above all else.

The battle was beginning to wind down as the army became exhausted. Morale was low as they seemed to make little to no progress on the Riders. What little they did accomplish was met with absolutely no reaction. Many of the dragons were missing both wings and even limbs but being undead as they were, it did not deter them or weaken them in the least. They could not feel pain or emotion and as such, continued to resist their attacks and launch their own form of such a powerful defense that the army, despite its numbers and passion, began to tire.

There was no competing with the miasma or the flames that just kept coming. The Fire Elementals had burned some the of the dragons down to bone only to find their already-scorched skeletons underneath were unphased by the loss of their rotted flesh. If anything, they seemed relieved to have lost it, as they now moved with more agility and speed than before. In addition to that, their tails, largely comprised of spiky bone matter, were now freed to swing about in a wide arc, taking out scores of demons on the ground whereas the flesh had made this pointless before.

Kouga, panting for breath on the sidelines, began to consider a retreat. Their numbers were weakened and the forces they had now were simply trickling in at a slow pace only to be incapacitated a few seconds later.

In addition to the many wounded they had sustained many casualties, as well. Several of his pack lay slain, half of the lesser wolves lying beside them, a handful of Kitsune that had succumbed before the others retreated, another handful of Elementals and more mortal deaths than should be tolerated. He had to commend their fighting spirit; they were the weakest of all in attendance and yet their passion to fight was no less than that of any other demon. Unfortunately, that meant that many of them had died as a result.

With Inuyasha absent, he had taken it upon himself to act as second in command. If something were not done soon, their forces would be wiped out entirely and this whole fight would have been for nothing.

Having gotten no closer to freeing Sesshomaru, Kouga reluctantly made the call. With a sharp whistle his pack was called back, the other members of the army following their lead.

"Gather as many wounded as you can and get back to the Citadel!" his voice boomed across the clearing as men and demons alike hurried to follow his orders.

He was just about to turn his back from the sight of the damned dragons ferociously guarding Sesshomaru when he heard the tiniest of mewls above his head. There on a branch above his head, blinking blearily at him, was a two-tailed fire cat he recognized as the slayer's companion. She was panting for breath and obviously weakened.

"Come here, you poor kit," he sympathized as he extended an arm to her. She curled up gratefully in his palm and he held her protectively to his chest.

So much tragedy today, he thought. The air was heavy with it. He couldn't believe they'd lost so many or that they'd lost Sesshomaru. Kagome was going to be devastated.

With a heavy heart, he turned to leave and go break the news to his friends.

He'd taken one step when a loud snapping sound, followed by a conglomeration of growls made by the dragons brought him to turn around only to see a bright, white light growing in the center of the Black Riders.

Within a second, Sesshomaru's humanoid form could be seen hovering above them wielding a blue blade Kouga recognized as Tenseiga. He spun in a swift arc before the Riders could react and with a blast of wind, the dead dragons had all been beheaded.

Of course, thought Kouga, Tenseiga was the sword of the underworld. It was perhaps the only weapon which would have an effect on the Black Riders. _ 'Keh, wish he'd thought of it sooner.'  
_  
The taiyoukai gracefully touched down outside the fallen corpses, swung his blade once to the side as if to clean it of the unsavory remains and sheathed it at his side once again.

Kouga observed that despite his usual pristine white attire, which had no doubt mended itself during the fight, the taiyoukai had sustained several injuries. While his expression remained a mask of indifference, the wolf prince winced as he watched him pop bones back into place at his shoulder blades, watched the gashes on his face knit back together.

He nodded at the wolf prince once in recognition before scanning the area around him. The bodies of their fallen comrades littered the ground.

"They fought for you," Kouga explained softly as he, too, regarded the sacrifices made and the blood spilled. Such a waste.

Sesshomaru acknowledged this comment with silence and a slight crinkling of his brow as golden eyes surveyed the wreckage.

He could sense through his mark that Kagome had been healed of her wounds and now that the Riders had been slain, his attention fell on the many bodies of his allies strewn about the ground. They had given their lives in an effort to protect him and he could not help but admire their valiant attempt as both courageous and honorable.

Tenseiga pulsed at his hip, responding to his feelings of pride for their sacrifice. He unsheathed the blade, immediately finding the undertakers of the next life with their chains and staffs lingering around the dead, preparing to take their souls. With a concentrated slice, they had all been severed and Kouga, blue eyes wide with astonishment, watched as all those who had fallen began to rise, healed of their wounds.

Once risen, they bowed before their Lord in thanks and the wolf prince found himself also bending knee, moved by such a powerful display of mercy.

Sesshomaru seemed to take no note of this. He walked a few feet, picked up his boa, which shook itself of the mud and filth it had accumulated before moving on its own to lay about his shoulders once again. With this now in place, he turned on his heel and addressed those bowing before him.

"You have fought bravely. Your honor is commended. This Sesshomaru repays his debt by restoring your lives."

With that, he turned on his heel and gracefully took to the sky, moving with haste towards the Citadel to check on his miko.

* * *

Kagome was frantic. Once Inuyasha had explained what happened after she came to, she had asked after Sesshomaru but, having left nearly directly after the battle had ensued, he had no information to give her. He was not about to tell her of the horrible sounds he'd heard his brother make or to enlighten her to his own concern in that regard. The look on his face, however, made her blood run cold.

"Is he...is he alright?" she managed to croak out but the hanyou made no answer. It was only a few moments later that the wounded began to arrive in droves. She could not believe the devastation she had caused. It was all her fault.

She tried to help Kikyo and the others tend to the wounded but her attention kept wavering towards the mountains in the direction Sesshomaru had gone to save her.

Ayame finally pulled her away from a wounded member of Kouga's pack and took over applying the poultice to the poor man's leg when she kept questioning him about the Western Lord. When he told her the last thing he'd seen was Sesshomaru taken to the ground being eaten alive she'd almost fainted there and then.

Sango and Miroku and even the children had tried to distract her but it was no use. Her heart hammered in her chest with worry and pain. Where _was_ he? Why hadn't he made it back yet?

With an iron resolve, ignoring her friends' pleas to come back, she stood and tried to run back the way she'd come, determined to help fix her mistake when a fist closed around her wrist and she was pulled forcefully around to face the stern, golden eyes of Inuyasha. His expression made her halt in her desperation to get to Sesshomaru.

"Do you have any idea how close you came to dying? Sesshomaru did everything he could to save you, many of our allies are dead because they were trying to help him. I will not allow you to go running back into danger to undo everything this army has done to rescue you!"

Kagome felt the tears sting her eyes. "Inuyasha, he could be _dead_!" she tried to reason, her voice breaking. "It's all my fault!"

The hanyou felt his face soften at the assault of her tears. He was just about to reach for her when two twin white blurs assaulted his face.

"What the- GERROFF OF MEEE!" he shouted as the twin Karyu dragons nipped and bit at his ears and cheeks. Just as he swatted them away, he saw Kagome nearing the forests' edge. She turned back to look at him, as if sensing his attention.

Recognizing that expression, he scowled in warning. "DON'T YOU DARE!"

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

"KAGOME, I SWEAR TO KAMI IF YOU-"

"Sit."

The hanyou was sent crashing to the ground. She had just turned to make her way into the woods when she gasped in surprise at the realization of who was standing directly in front of her.

Sesshomaru eyed his intended with a look of reprimand mixed with indifference. She had only just been saved and she was already running back into danger. He tried to be angry but as he watched her face change from surprise, to relief at seeing him alive, to the pain and heartbreak of what she'd done, as her eyes filled with tears of apology, he could not find it in him. He, too was relieved to see her unharmed and he allowed himself a moment to breathe in her scent, assuring himself of her health.

Kagome felt her heart clench in her chest at the sight of those golden eyes boring into her's. Before she could even process what she was doing she had sprinted at his form with her arms out, crashing into his torso with a cry of relief.

The Western Lord felt his eyes widen in astonishment before bringing his arms up to return the unexpected embrace. She wept openly into his chest with relief and shame and heartbreak. As he glanced up to see the entire Citadel bearing witness to her moment of weakness, he summoned his cloud, swiftly lifting them to the sky and back down near the river's edge away from prying eyes. Situating himself on a rock and draping her over his lap, he tilted her chin up with one claw to look him in the eyes.

Her face crumpled pitifully. "Oh, Sesshomaru, I'm so sorry. I thought I was helping and all I did was endanger so many people. I should have listened to you!"

And then the miko did something he would never in his lifetime forget. For the first time in their entire association, she tilted her head to the side, baring her slender, pale neck to him in submission. He hadn't even been sure she knew to do it before that moment or what it meant in the Inu culture but now he knew she did, in fact, know and was willingly _submitting_ to him.

He felt a pulse in his fangs as they thickened in response to the enticing gesture, his mouth watering at the sight. Without wasting a second, he acknowledged her actions by fastening his lips to the junction of her neck and shoulder, nibbling and grazing his fangs softly over the flesh as he suckled the joint to display that all was forgiven, her act of submission accepted.

Her aura sparkled and flashed in response before settling, allowing his to dominate and he felt her grow limp in his arms as she gave herself over to the sensation.

Kagome could feel his fangs grazing her flesh and the sudden desire she felt for them to penetrate her skin made her knees weak. The mark on her wrist throbbed and tingled with the closeness of his proximity. With a mewl of pleasure, she leaned her neck into the embrace, pushing it closer to his mouth in the hopes he would understand. He did. The grazing grew stronger, his nibbles more forceful but still they did not break the skin. She could feel her thighs clenching in anticipation, making her breathing erratic with every graze and she moaned loudly the harder he bit down. She wanted, no, _needed_ to feel his fangs sink into place in a way words could not describe and he was torturing her by biting down just enough not to pierce but for her to feel the pressure of his delicious, powerful aura pulsing against her skin.

"Oh _please_," she cried suddenly, beyond control now, panting for breath. Her plea found her on her back in the grass next to the river, moko-moko cushioning her, with Sesshomaru on top, his lips still fastened to the junction of her neck and shoulder as he growled low in his throat with arousal.

All too soon, he stopped grazing the area and began to lathe it with his tongue, soothing the red welts and she whimpered from the lack of contact, pushing her neck further towards him, hoping he would change his mind and sink his fangs into her flesh. A deep chuckle and hot breath against the shell of her ear was her response, sending chills down her body, before the deep tenor of his voice whispered huskily, "If I mark you now, I will rut you and if this Sesshomaru ruts you..." She felt a clawed hand move under her ripped horai to slide across her lower belly with significance, "I will pup you."

The taiyoukai had expected this comment to cause apprehension, perhaps anxiety or even fear. He had expected her to pull away, thus putting a stop to their interaction before it got out of hand but when she instead moaned and he scented the sharp spike in her arousal, he began to feel the corners of his eyes bleed red. Her hips lifted off the ground, encouraging his hand and he happily obliged, pulling the knot of her hakamas away and delving between her nether lips. Her desire to be claimed was apparent in her slick state as he delved one finger deep into her depths, memorizing the way her back arced in response, the way her pink lips parted in ecstasy.

He could feel the energy mounting, could feel his loins responding. All his hormones and potency were beginning to emerge, encouraged by the building of his aura. An Inu waited to find one mate his whole life before coupling, which meant that his seed had been generating for hundreds of years waiting for the right one. Never in his whole life had it emerged to descend as it was doing right now. He could feel the heaviness gathering between his legs, causing them to swell and if they went much further, there would be no going back. The miko would be mated and pupped by dawn.

Leaning over her, he whispered against her neck, "You must be sure," before attaching his lips to the juncture once more and suckling.

"Sesshomaru, please,_ claim me_," she rasped as her hips bucked up to meet his and that was all the encouragement he needed.

Lips still fastened to her neck, his claws made short and expert work of her attire, leaving her bare before him. While his fangs grazed the flesh, his hands found her breasts, kneading them to attention as his arousal pressed flush and apparent against her. He tried to pull away from her neck, hoping to sample a nipple with his fangs but she was having none of that.

Her tiny fist fastened in his silver hair, pulling him back down to her neck and she strained her head to the side as far as it would go. Her other hand pulled at the yellow obi, causing him to gasp as his manhood was suddenly poised at her hot entrance. He worried for but a moment that she was not yet prepared, that they should take more time, when instinct brought her hips up and his head sunk gratefully into her folds. She was _more_ than ready.

In that same moment his aura surged out of his control, causing his fangs to engorge even further, just the tips sinking into her flesh at the same rate his manhood sunk between her lips. She moaned her encouragement and he sunk each a little deeper and deeper until both were sheathed to the hilt.

The taste of her blood bloomed against his tongue while at the same time, he could smell her broken virginity between her thighs and it was heaven. He memorized her taste and smell as he began to thrust, slow and shallow, into her womanhood, never releasing her neck. She responded by spreading her legs even wider, allowing him better access and further encouraging him of her continued enjoyment and pleasure.

As their pace quickened, a need for more driving them both to the brink, he used his hands and demonic strength to lift her from the hips and shove her in time with his thrusts onto his manhood. The faster they went the more it began to swell until Kagome felt herself bringing her knees up against her chest on instinct to allow him better access.

That's when it happened. Sesshomaru withdrew his fangs and growled, pushing himself as deep as he could go, stilling his thrusts and her eyes widened in surprise as she felt his manhood swell and then explode within her. One blast, two blasts, three, four and she was crying out her release as it happened five, six, seven more times. There was so much of it, her insides were heavy with it and still he did not pull out. Instead as she watched him lick his lips of her blood, he gripped her knees, growled, pulled her closer, thrust three more times and began to release again, another seven times.

When he finally did exit, she was exhausted. Idly, she felt him gather her to his chest gently as if she were a delicate doll that might break. Smiling contentedly, she let him dip her in the river, his fingers gently cleansing every part of her anatomy that she was too tired to clean herself. Finally, her neck was cleansed of the blood, revealing a bright blue crescent moon mark stark against her pale neck.

His own horai was wrapped around her form since her outfit had been bloodied and shredded both from their activities and her near-death experience from earlier. Finally, she was gathered against him, moko-moko winding about the both of them for warmth as she drifted gratefully into unconsciousness.


End file.
